Following the sudden postponement of the election into the Governing Council of the CRFFN earlier scheduled for Friday, June 29, 2018, the five registered Associations, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN), Nigerian Association of Air Freight Forwarders and Consolidators (NAFFAC), National Council of Managing Directors of Customs Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), have expressed shocked over the development.
This is contained in a joint press statement signed by the five associations and made available to MMS Plus.
At a strategic meeting with the Contestants last week Thursday, the stakeholders described the action of the CRFFN sole administration of not taking the Associations and the Contestants into confidence before taking such huge decision as disrespect to them and democracy.
The meeting however resolved to be patient within reasonable period of time and await further information from the CRFFN and the supervising ministry before deciding the next line of action even as they urged the concerned authorities to avoid actions that will throw the entire electioneering process into disrepute.
While pledging their continued support for the CRFFN administration in the interest of the regulatory agency in particular and the total logistics supply chain management, they vowed to remain united in ensuring that the arrangement they have collectively agreed on remains sacrosanct and hoped that relevant authorities would respect the associations feelings which is to ensure an inclusive Council.
The leadership of the various associations equally re-emphasized that CRFFN is a regulatory Agency who has the mandate to regulate and control all freight forwarding practitioners in Nigeria.
“Accordingly it is mandatory for all practitioners to be duly registered with the Council and any of the accredited freight forwarding associations of the Council. Freedom of Association cannot translate to disobedience to rule of law and order in a democratic society.” The statement read in part.
Meanwhile, the Immediate Past Governing Council Chairman Of The CRFFN, Aaree Hakeem Olanrewaju has issued a press statement last week clarifying the insinuations that he would be interested in re-contesting for the CRFFN chairman position even as he expressed his interest in the electioneering process with a view to ensuring a free, fair and credible elections in tandem with laid down rules and regulations.
While recapping the duties and obligations of council members, Aare Hakeem frowned at anyone who has the intention of contesting the election with a view to satisfying his/her selfish interests at the detriment of the generality of the practitioners of the profession even as he warned against spending huge amount of money to win the election.
He said “It is advisable for any forwarder seeking an election into the governing council to be sure that, he is reasonably established, and have time for the governing council assignments.
“Fourth, for the passion and development of our profession, I want to encourage every practitioner must ensure that, he or she is eligible to vote for quality leaders. I believe by now, with our years of interactions, we all know those who are credible and reliable leaders amongst us both within and outside the associations.
“So let’s be on the guard to see the list of those forwarders who have filed up themselves seeking to be elected into governing council, then, our votes will give the needed direction.
“Again, fellers filtering unto my desk and on social media, has it that, the Five Accredited Associations meet and passed resolutions, among such resolution is that:The Fifteen electable members ( five from each of the freight forwarding arms) has be shared among; 6 to NAGAFF, 6 to ANLCA, 1 to NAFFAC, 1 to NCMDLC and 1 to AREFF.
“This development sounds interesting and indeed deceitful, especially coming from most of the critical elements who brandished themselves as industry gladiators, swored to themselves that, provided they are not elected or appointed in the council, therefore, the council should be crushed and shall never be allow to thrive, hence, they resort to all manner of heightened blackmails, insinuations, incitements, propaganda, campaign of calumny, organized protests against the regulatory policies, incessant court actions, etc.”
