By Steve Agbota
The former Governing Council Chairman, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (CRFFN), Aare Hakeem Olaranwaju, has commended the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Transportation, Dr. Magdalene Ajani, for her prompt intervention in the modalities earmarked for the election of new members of the CRFFN council.
In a statement issued in Lagos on behalf those he described as well-meaning practicing freight forwarders in the subsector of the maritime industry, he 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, he 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 that the inadequately structured electioneering processes for electing the 15 practising freight forwarders into the CRFFN Governing Council was flawed in many ways.
“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 the 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,” he said.
He 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.
Olarenwaju noted Ajani’s closing remarks at a meeting with the leadership of the accredited associations and stakeholders, were germane to the main issues rocking freight forwarders in the country.
He 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.