The immediate past Chairman, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), Alhaji Hakeem Olanrewaju has called on the freight forwarding practitioners in the Nigerian maritime sector to embrace professionalism and key into the window of opportunity being offered to the by the Honourable Minister of Transport, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and the National Assembly as part of the change agenda of the current administration.
Olanrewaju who made this known in a statement he issued in Lagos during the weekend with the title,” Ministerial Directive To The Freight Forwarders / Customs Brokers – A Wake -Up Call To Nigerian Freight Forwarders, Commendation To The Honourable Minister”, stated that the general interest and survival of the freight forwarding profession should be paramount in the heart of every well -meaning association leader.
While congratulating the Minister on his well deserved appointment as the Minister of Transportation, he also commended him for demonstrating exemplary leadership quality and strong political will towards resolving some lingering crises in the Maritime Sector.
Olanrewaju who is also the Managing Director of Talod Oceanair Freight Limited observed that by so doing, the Minister had rekindled the hope and professional confidence of Freight Forwarding Practitioners, as well as credibility to the Freight Forwarding Profession in Nigeria, via the widely-publicized directive issued at the just concluded MARCON Seminar on Wednesday, 25th February, 2016, at Rockview Hotel, Apapa.
He further described the directive as the needed tonic which they had craved for during the past administrative life of the CRFFN, but for obvious political patronage and compromises, the Council was denied this political push, which had stalled its overall administrative excellence and performance.
According to him,” In the same vein, I wish to also register my appreciation to members of the National Assembly, who, in the course of appraising the CRFFN Proposed 2016 Budget, were unanimous in their decision and considered it worthy to evolve an instant extra- legislations, making it compulsory for Practitioners and relevant Stakeholders to comply with the relevant sections of the CRFFN Act, 16 of 2007.
“Distinguished members, I concur with you that, an entrenched cartel, individuals or groups activities cannot be allowed to continuously subvert extant laws of the Federation, and by extension, deny the Federal government of its due and much – needed internally generated revenue.
“The proper Administration of the CRFFN continues to be resisted by a cabal, who are refusing to be regulated; few of them contested and failed an election at the maiden election into the Governing council, thereby, resorting to frustrating efforts to put the Council on a strong footing. They became Apostles of the slogan of “status quo ante” which they manifest in different antics. Few of these elements with their glorified gangs of touts parade themselves as industry gladiators. Most times, they instigate court actions all in a bid to stampede the CRFFN administration, within the professional administration”.
The former CRFFN boss added other problems that had bedeviled the council to include: entrenched interests, power tussle and ego on the part of notable leaders, whose antics also point to a disapproval of actions of the regulatory agency describing the associations’ entrenched interests and open display of power drunkenness and arrogance against the general professional interest and that of the regulatory council as the greatest monster.
“The greatest monster was the Associations’ entrenched interests and open display of power drunkenness and arrogance against the general professional interest and that of the regulatory council.
Payment of the Annual professional subscriptions fee was sacrificed under this scheming and antic, all in a bid to arm-twist the Council, where the regulator has turned to be a perpetual regulatee.
“The persistent resistance on the part of this noted interests against government approved collectable fees for the proper funding and development of the Freight Forwarding profession speaks the obvious. Their determination for the status quo ante, was to subtly wet ground for the continuous practice of illegal toll collections at most ports.
“The recent incident of open threats to the life of the Registrar of the Council, wanton attacks/ damaging of the Council vehicles, taking staff of CRFFN hostage, assaults and inflicting harms and causing open injuries to staff and other Association representatives at the Seme border last year by members of one of the Associations, to say the least, is an open invitation to anarchy and the reign of impunity. This shows signs of “being above the laws”, he said.
Analyzing the current register of members of CRFFN, Olanrewaju said,” In the face of all these, it is regrettable to point out the stark reality on ground, that, when in 2010 – 2011, the Council opened its Register and called for registration by practitioners, over five thousand Freight Forwarders picked up forms for registration and close to Two thousand corporate firms completed registration. But during and after accreditation processes, to date, just a little above two thousand practitioners are said to have completed the registration exercise, and accreditation processes and their names posted into Council register. In the same vein, a little above Four hundred corporate firms are in the Register.
“Statistics available shows that, out of the over 5000 practitioners that completed registration process, almost 65% of those practitioners are WAEC Certificate holders, 15 % have no Certificates, 5% are Qualified based on long outstanding competence and experiences, 15% are graduates.
85% of the figure, understands the nitty gritty of the import clearance processes, but approach it in a most unprofessional manner, manifesting, willful distortion or disobedience to legitimate processes, and quick to cutting corners with begging.
“55% of the figure can not describe, classify, nor understand cargo valuation principles. 67% of the figure can hardly interpret official trade circulars, professionally.
“Presently, less than 200 Practitioners have availed themselves of the various opportunities aimed at empowering themselves, through attending the Mandatory Professional Training Programme; pursuance to the Council regulatory instituted standards.
“One should have expected that any reasonable professional Association would be concerned with this anomaly, but alas, parochial interest seems to override professional interest.
“It is on this premise, that, I want to appeal to all Practitioners to set aside all ill-feelings and sense of “being wronged” from any quarter and join hands with the Honourable Minister, to revamp and strengthen our profession for posterity sake and our collective well-being”.
Appealing to the practitioners, he quipped,” I make bold to say that change is constant, we cannot continue with the way we are going. Life is about compromises and sacrifices. The general interest and survival of our profession should be paramount in the heart of every well -meaning Association leader.
“Finally, I wish to assure the Honourable Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi of my total support and indeed of that of all well-meaning Freight Forwarders, as he goes about repositioning our Maritime Sector for optimal performance for the betterment of our people and our dear country – Nigeria”.
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