As the dust raised by the said letter written from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to one Mr. Uchu Block of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) ordering the stoppage of the collection of the Practitioners’ Operating Fee of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) is yet to settle, another faction of NCMDLCA has petitioned the Registrar of CRFFN, Sir Mike Jukwe urging him to take proactive steps towards protecting its registered members.
In a letter titled,” Re: The Dissolved Board of Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria”, which was signed by the Director of Publicity of NCMDLCA, Mr. Festus Ukwu and made available to Primetime Reporters, the group contended that the said Uchu Block and Mr. Lucky Amiwero’s faction of NCMDLCA was not known, registered nor accredited member of CRFFN and as such should not be allowed to meddle into the affairs of the Council.
The group however noted that the authentic member of CRFFN was the Chief Festus Ejiofor led Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents.
“It is sad to note that over the time, Uchu Block and Mr. Lucky Amiwero have been a big distraction to the CRFFN administration and Management. We are very surprised that the Council Management has turned its face away from the impunity of the named persons against an agency of the Government like CRFFN”.
“As evidence, we therefore refer to a purported letter written to Uchu Block from the Office of the SGF ordering the stoppage of the collection of approved operating fees of the Government/CRFFN and freight forwarders. After a close observation of this letter from the SGF, we suspect that the wordings were super-imposed. It means that this letter is likely to be a forged letter in the instance. However, we have written to the CP (Commissioner of Police) Ports for proper investigation in that regard. We must state clearly that it is the duty of the CRFFN administration to protect its members duly registered and accredited”, the letter read in part.
The group therefore urged the Council to cause further investigations and evoke all relevant powers contained in the Act establishing it (CRFFN) to address what it called the impunity and breach of processes by Uchu Block and Mr. Lucky Eyis Amiwero.
It continued,” it is to our knowledge that a tribunal has been established and enforcement unit of CRFFN put in place. We urge you to cause an action to protect genuine registered members to avoid loss of confidence in us”.
Meanwhile, the group has also petitioned the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Western Ports Police Command, Mrs. Hilda Ibifuro Harrison asking for a proper investigation to ascertain the authenticity or otherwise of the said letter from the office of the SGF and addressed to Uchu Block.
In a separate letter to the CP entitled,” Re: Request for Investigation into a Letter Vide CD/P/251/V/892 of 24/4/2015 Purported from the Office of Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Addressed to Uchu Block”, NCMDLCA stated that it was a surprise to it to found that Uchu Block who was not a member of the NCMDLCA and the CRFFN could be written that kind of letter from the Office of the SGF which was said to be in response to an earlier one written by him (Uchu Block).
It reads,” A close observation of the letter from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) will clearly show that it appeared forged and super-imposed. The style of writing is very strange because Uchu Block of the acclaimed National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs agents (NCMDLCA) is not the Registrar of CRFFN”.
“The Office of the SGF cannot be seen to be writing to Uchu Block as if they are writing to the Registrar of CRFFN as a parastatal of the Government”.
It therefore called for a full scale investigation to forestall what it called the impending danger inherent to it as according to the group, freight agents were very angry that Uchu Block’s action may cause a breach of public peace.
