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Transportation Ministry Hailed over Intervention in CRFFN Election
Sunday Okobi
The former Governing Council Chairman of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (CRFFN), Hakeem Olaranwaju, has hailed the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, for her prompt intervention in the modalities earmarked for the election of new members of the council.
In a statement issued in Lagos on behalf of those he described as “well-meaning practicing freight forwarders” in the subsector of the maritime industry, Olanrewaju said: “I want to use this medium to express our profound gratitude for your prompt intervention aimed at not just saving the freight forwarding profession from potential anarchy but salvaging it from professional ridicule which self-centered and greedy leaders were deliberately poised to inflict on it.”
Describing Ajani’s intervention as “motherly”, Olanrewaju noted that the permanent secretary decision was informed by the fact that she listened carefully to the reasons that prompted the official postponement of the election.
He maintained in the statement which was made available to journalists at the weekend that the inadequately structured electioneering processes for electing the 15 practicing freight forwarders into the CRFFN Governing Council were flawed in many
ways.
According to him, “There is a proof that you are a seasoned and listening administrator per excellence. Your further words of admonitions to the leadership of the accredited associations and by extension the stakeholders in attendance at the meeting, especially upholding to the intents and provisions of Act 16, 2007, and the solemn advice that the forwarders, especially the gladiators should consider the interest of the profession over and above other interests is very apt.”
Olanrewaju, who is also managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of Talod Oceanair Freight Limited, argued that the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Transportation permanent secretary was a sure and rare demonstration of the relevance of a mother in a dicey situation such as the one facing the freight forwarding subsector.
He noted Ajani’s closing remarks at a meeting with the leadership of the accredited associations and stakeholders, pointing out that they were germane to the main issues rocking freight forwarders in the country.
He, however, flayed the appointment of those he called “non-practitioners” across the country to represent the geo-political zones in the council.
To him, such appointment should be made among the practitioners with respect to the intent and true reflection of a professional regulatory Governing Council and not an advisory board in the order of government agencies under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Transportation.“The appointed government agencies nominees should be picked from each agency departments related to freight and logistics concerns. This will make room for balance and ease of regulation-making processes,” he added.
The former chairman pointed out that Ajani was right in her observation on the abysmal performance that trailed the past governing councils.
He said apart from presenting practitioners with fewer interests and commitments towards the development of the profession, a major impediment stems from the number of the appointed politicians representing the geo-political zones in addition to the other appointed government agencies nominees making it 17 board members thereby surpassing the 15 elected freight forwarders into the Governing Council which has 32 members in all.
In order to address some of the ills that is plaguing the council, he enjoined Ajani to be resolute with her earlier position that only credible freight forwarders should be allowed to contest the professional election with or without accredited professional associations inclination or membership.
Olanrewaju said one of the administrative challenges the first and second Governing Councils contended with was the subtle moves to take over regulatory powers from the Governing Council members and the management team. But the Governing Council and management team have to stick to its regulatory posture to resist the move.
