… Inaugurates Conflict Resolution Committee
The Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, CRFFN, yesterday, set up a committee to resolve the protracted leadership crisis in the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA.
Members of the Conflict Resolution Committee include officials of the Transport Ministry, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), CRFFN, veteran freight forwarders and some members of the CRFFN Governing Board.
Speaking during the inauguration of the committee in Lagos, the Chairman of the CRFFN Governing Council, Alhaji Abubakar Tsanni observed that the Committee was expected to unearth the underlying factors which led to the conflicts and proffer recommendations before September 7th, 2022.
Tsanni noted that the Committee was given six days to make its findings and recommendations with a view to deliberating on the resolutions at the next CRFFN Governing Board meeting scheduled to hold on September 8th, 2022.
The Council Chairman noted that with over 3,000 members and massive revenue generated for the federal government, ANLCA should be providing leadership worthy of emulation for freight forwarding associations.
While regretting that ANLCA crisis had been ongoing for over 4 years and all efforts to resolve it have been futile, he posited that CRFFN, as the regulator of all freight forwarding associations, had decided to step in to resolve these issues saying, “we will do our best to address the problems in such a manner that the two factions will be satisfied with the resolutions of the Council.”
He said, “The Committee will also explore the roles of Nigerian Police and the judiciary in the ANLCA fracas in a bid to prevent further conflicts on the issue.
“Yesterday, I discussed with the Minister of Transportation, Alhaji Mu’azu Sambo on this ANLCA crisis and he supported this initiative to have a Conflict Resolution Committee. The Minister also said that we keep him abreast with the developments and resolutions by the Committee.”
On his part, the Chairman of the ANLCA Crisis Resolution Committee, Alhaji Abba Yusuf thanked the CRFFN Governing Board for the responsibility, while stating that the Committee’s task was clear and could be categorized in two parts.
The first part, according to him, “is to find out the history of the crisis to know what really happened and the other part is to make recommendations. We will discuss with both factions. We have veteran freight forwarders and distinguished personalities on this Committee. We will do a thorough job and hopefully resolve these conflicts.”
“As the foremost freight forwarding association in the country, ANLCA shouldn’t be in such a state of conflict in leadership. We will do our best and not operate with any bias,” he added.
Speaking on the import of the new Conflict Resolution Committee of the CRFFN, the Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee of the CRFFN Governing Council, Hon. Muftahu Ya’u explained that all future disputes among freight forwarders should utilize the dispute resolution mechanisms enshrined in the CRFFN Act hence the inauguration of the committee to drive the process.
Ya’u pointed out that the Council had conflict resolution mechanisms which included bringing such issues to the Investigative panel of CRFFN whose membership included officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) noting that “we also have our tribunal that looks into matters affecting freight forwarders.”
“However, the case of ANLCA started before these mechanisms were properly instituted. With these mechanisms, we hope that all warring factions will find solutions within,” he posited.
Photo: The Governing Board Chairman of CRFFN, Alhaji Abubakar Tsanni (middle), Chairman of the ANLCA Crisis Resolution Committee, Alhaji Abba Yusuf (2nd from left) and some Committee members and CRFFN Governing Board members; during the inauguration of ANLCA Crisis Resolution Committee in Lagos, on Thursday.
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