CRFFN: Why Workers Are Not Paid Yet
· Stakeholders Call On Minister To Release Panel Report
Following the seeming orchestration of crisis in the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) by some interest groups, stakeholders have called on the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr. Adegboyega Oyetola to release the report of the Panel on allegations of misappropriation of funds and gross abuse of office submitted to the Ministry since 13th June, 2024.
CRFFN has been boiling over non-payment of salaries to workers and covert mischief to stop the confirmation of the acting Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Mrs. Chinyere Uromta.as substantive Registrar. This has polarized the Council and the Ministry along interests lines.
The Minister had hinged his plans to reform the Council on the release of the panel report submitted to the Permanent Secretary, who has since refused to release the report to frustrate the Minister’s plan.
In a reminder letter to the Minister by Barr. Felix Tyokase, of Aenon Attonies, lawyers to Sir Mike Jukwe, former Registrar/CRFFN, Tyokase, stated,”We appeal to the Honourable Minister to use your good offices to without any further delay release the Report of the Panel submitted over a month ago to the Office of the Permanent Secretary.” The letter was written on July 29th, 2024.
“Honourable Minister Sir, it is suspected also that the Panel submitted its Report about Thursday, 13th June, 2024, over one (three) month ago and the continued delay in releasing the Report is worrisome, as to what could be preventing the Report from being released for this long. Justice delayed is justice denied’, the letter added.
It further stated: “Our Client was informally contacted by the acting Registrar/CEO Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria to appear before the Panel set up by the Permanent Secretary and he did so on 23rd May, 2024. The Panel confirmed that they were investigating both his petition and the one titled “Detailed Report of infractions and refusal to allow Treasury Officers function in Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN)” dated 19th January, 2023 by Aruotu, Onotoghene Michael submitted nearly one and half years ago”.
The Attorney is also worried that some forces in in the Ministry seem determined to jettison the report by protecting some accused persons in the Council. ”Our Client has been worried that after submission of the petition on 1st December, 2023, which is over seven months now, we are yet to receive even an acknowledgement letter. But, it will be noted in our first reminder/appeal letter that, the purported response of Mr. Linus Ikima is in the media space believed to have been sponsored, which copies of two publications were attached to our first letter of reminder/appeal”
The Patriots, a group of concerned professionals with interest in the maritime and transport space has also called on the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy to show leadership in the crisis in CRFFN by taking control of the matters and caution the Permanent Secretary who has allegedly been one of the key figures fueling the problem.
The Permanent Secretary, Mr. Olorunola Olufemi, was accused of telling some workers of CRFFN that the payment of the outstanding salaries promised by the Minister as intervention would not be paid until his plans and that of some directors and deputy directors in the Ministry and the Council are hatched.
He was alleged to have deliberately kept the Panel report away from the Minister pending the execution of their plan in October as inside sources in the Ministry alleged further that as he retires in October from the service, he plans to assume office as substantive Registrar/CEO of the Council.
The sources explained that he has been using two key deputy directors of CRFFN to create chaos in the system to the effect that the continuous gross insubordination against the acting Registrar by her subordinates were orchestrated by the Permanent Secretary. The source cited an instance where he directed a deputy director to write an official memo direct to him instead of routing it through the CEO, a development that raised millions of questions on his leadership competence and interest in the human induced simmering crisis in CRFFN.
The Patriots, therefore, seek the unconditional release of the Panel report to establish the extent of the involvement of the accused deputy directors in the paucity of funds affecting the Council and breach of civil service rules as well as misappropriation of funds.
The Patriots, in a statement signed by the Media Consultant, Mr. Lekan Adebayo, sent to MMS Plus, appealed to the Minister to wear conscience like a robe and evaluate dispassionately the place of the acting Registrar/CEO of CRFFN for almost two years now and working assiduously to change the fortunes of the Council which had been bedridden for years before her coming.
“Her appointment to a substantive status represents unblemished federal character representation in the circle of agency heads in the industry and speaks to continuity and gender inclusivity in the marine and blue economy Ministry.
“It will be unfair to subject her through all she has been, even with continual bullying from her detractors in the Ministry and allow the grand conspiracy against her to hold sway”, the group added.
The Patriots, observed that Mrs. Uromta has not had the level playing field to run the ”Council and there has not been any professional malfeasance against her rather she has been fighting the rot and gold-diggers in the system since assumption of duty as acting CEO. It will therefore be unfair and sadistic to deny her the opportunity of showcasing her leadership skills and experience.”
