By Winifred Ngozi Orji
Harboursandports.com: Lagos- December 10, 2024: Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria, APFFLON has publicly distanced itself from the decision of four other freight forwarding associations to take the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, to court.
The controversy surrounds the appointment of Mr. Kingsley Igwe as the substantive Registrar/CEO of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).
According to Otunba Frank Ogunojemite, the National President of APFFLON, the newly appointed CRFFN boss possesses the necessary experience, intelligence, and vibrancy to excel in the position.
Ogunojemite emphasized that the four associations involved in the lawsuit do not represent the entire freight forwarding community in Nigeria.
The four associations - ANLCA, NCMDLCA, AREFFN, and NAFFAC - claim that the appointment process was flawed and did not follow due procedure. However, APFFLON has expressed its support for the Minister's decision and is prepared to join the lawsuit as an interested party.
He described the development as “sad and unfortunate“, Ogunojemite recalled that the freight forwarders had been clamouring for the appointment of a freight forwarding practitioner as the Registrar/CEO of CRFFN before now wondering why the leadership of the four associations should turn around to oppose the appointment of one of their own by the Minister who acted in the best interest of the profession and the nation.
Ogunojemite emphasized that the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, acted in the best interest of the profession and the nation by appointing Igwe. He questioned the motives of the four associations, suggesting that they may be prioritizing personal interests over the well-being of the industry, adding that the Minister also exercised his powers as conferred on him by the 16 2007 Act which established the CRFFN.
“We were clamouring for the appointment of a professional as the Registrar/CEO of CRFFN and now that we have one, some are resorting to litigation. You see, these people, can not consult practitioners because of their selfishness and personal interests Those were the people who are sabotaging the industry one way or the other and because they are not being held responsible for their activities and gangsterism they thought they are above the laws and can bamboozled the government instead they should let’s join government in maritime reformation so Nigeria can be visible in comity of maritime nations.
“They are not even competent to represent themselves in this matter looking at their pedigree. Enough is enough, we will not fold our arms watch them cause anarchy and set backs in the industry. Please note that the appointment of Igwe has come to stay as far as we are concerned and the Honourable Minister has taken the decision to reform the maritime sector. We stand with the Honourable Minister on this one and we will give him all the necessary support to see that this appointment stands”, he said.
Reminded that the four associations were not against the person so appointed nor his affiliation with any association but the process that brought him to office, he said, “If they are making reference to Section 11 of the Act, that is not applicable at this particular time because the industry is in a state of emergency and needs to be rescued and that’s why the Minister has exercised his Direction of General Character as provided for in the CRFFN Act.
Reminded that the Act provided for the Governing Council and not the Minister to appoint a substantive Registrar for the Council, he said, “The Act did not envisage this kind of situation that we found ourselves at this time and that is why the government needs to step in at such times of emergency to rescue the profession in the interest of the nation.
“And look at these people complaining, they are not even fit to complain because some of them have flouted the Council’s Act several times. When they came up with the 6:6:1:1 sharing formula for the purpose of electing freight forwarders into the Governing Council, did they follow due process or was it provided for by the Act? It is because the odds are not in their favour, they are crying foul and I can tell you authoritatively that there’s no validly accredited freight forwarding association in this country as at today.”
While stressing that as individuals, the various association leaders could say whatever views they held, he observed that because their accreditation with CRFFN is not permanent, most of the associations haven’t met the criteria to remain accredited.
“There’s a requirement for associations to sustain their accreditation which one way or the other, they have all run failed to meet the criteria. If you look at the Act critically, they need to pay their annual subscription to remain accredited but most of these associations have not been paying their annual subscription yet they are still getting money from the Council. That’s sabotage!”
“Again, if you look at the CAMA Law which provides that each registered company or incorporated trustees should make annual returns to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) these people are sabotaging the government by not remitting their annual returns to the CAC. Go and check the status of these associations at the CAC and you will discover that some of them are inactive and dead. They don’t see that they have an obligation to fulfill to the government as good citizens of the country,” Ogunojemite lamented.
The APFFLON boss, however, disclosed that the association has contacted its lawyers to commence processes for APFFLON to be joined in the legal action against the Minister as an interested party saying, “We know the Minister has taken the right decision and we know that it’s time for the industry to move forward. They need to reassess themselves to know if they are fit or not but we are categorically saying that some of them are no longer existing in the eyes of the law.”
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