Babatunde Mukaila (Immediate Past National Secretary, ANLCA)
Regulating freight forwarders is tasking, on its own, considering the overregulated status of the sector. However, misplaced priority is what is bedeviling the council. The last election to the governing council became a bazaar for highest bidders, consequently with the aim of recouping investment made by the governing council members. Clearly speaking, the council needs to go back to the aim and objectives of the Act to purge itself of controversies.
Bert Okeke (NAGAFF)
CRFFN is having controversies because NAGAFF was not carried along. NAGAFF initiated the bill and no other association supported us. ANLCA even publicly opposed the bill at the public hearing, swearing through their leadership to kill it with everything at their disposal. When that failed, they recruited thugs and non-practitioners to hijack the leadership; but without knowing the intent and spirit of the Act. Civil servants saw through their ignorance and hijacked the running as a government agency. They cannot run it because they are not professionals.
Festus Ukwu (National Secretary, NCMDLCA)
There are people that are being sponsored to make sure the current acting Registrar is removed from office, because they are interested. It is a sponsored propaganda. The Board of the Council has been dissolved too. As regards the issue of misappropriation of funds, it is just a propaganda against the reputation of the acting registrar which is being sponsored by someone. All these controversies are political.
Anthony Onyike (National Vice President, NAFFAC)
CRFFN was created by an Act of parliament of 2007 and before then there were individuals who were already established in the freight forwarding industry. Most of them did not recognize CRFFN, they were even stopping it from existence, they went to court and all that. CRFFN did not get a take-off fund and could not stand on its own for a very long time even up till now; if not from the POF. If not for that it would have been difficult to pay the staff. The government also wants their person to be the head of CRFFN. All these are the factors behind the controversies in the Council.
Taiwo Fatomilola (National PRO, AREFFN)
The CRFFN neglected its original duties for something else. If its focus and energy had been centered on what its purpose and functions are, it would have been far from controversies. CRFFN is supposed to be in charge of regulating the freight forwarding business in Nigeria, and regular training of freight forwarders in Nigeria. Being an interface between government and freight forwarders in making sure it speaks on behalf of freight forwarders for positive policies and conducive business environment for freight forwarding business in Nigeria just like in other international bodies in the world. As it is today, the Shippers Council is now encroaching on CRFFN duties and functions because it has been sleeping and not living up to its duties.
Clinton Okoro (APFFLON PRO, Tin Can Chapter)
Why people are fighting to get into the board is just because of their common interest which is money. Everyone sees it as another avenue to make more money in the industry. So you find out that the majority of them that are there are not working towards what the council was created for. The primary purpose is to train and retrain freight forwarders to adapt to the new systems and procedures in the port. But they are not doing that. It is quite unfortunate. CRFFN is not doing anything. It is just their selfish interest that is causing the problem in CRFFN.
Pius Ujubonu (ANLCA Chieftain)
The CRFFN has a priority crisis. CRFFN was intended as a council to be private-sector driven. The council was intended to act as a council instituted to provide a rallying opinion funnel for the cacophony of voices coming from the various associations. CRFFN was supposed to be a child of necessity to enable the authorities to deal with custom agents and freight forwarders. The Act eventually came up with lots of absurdities and unnecessary appendages that made it neither easy for the stakeholders nor could it be handled by the private sector. The act, as it is, is difficult to operate.
Innocent Elum (BoT Secretary, AREFFN)
CRFFN is a microcosm of Nigeria, which is always embroiled in controversies. What else do you expect from CRFFN that was meant to be a private Council operated by freight forwarders, like ICAN, but ended up being a government parastatal operated and controlled by politicians.
