CRFFN clears 16 freight forwarders for Council elections- disqualifies Nweke, Ikokide, others

Funso Olojo |

All is now set for the much awaited elections into to the third governing council of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) slated for Friday, June 29th, 2018 in Lagos

Speaking exclusively to our correspondent yesterday in Lagos, the Registrar of CRFFN, Sir Mike Jukwe said the elections will no longer hold in Abuja as earlier scheduled due to security and logistics reasons.

This position seems to be in tandem with the concerns raised by the participating freight forwarding groups who had earlier canvassed that the elections be held in Lagos, given the logistics and security implications of holding the exercise in Abuja.

As a prelude to the elections exercise, the Secretariat of the CRFFN, led by its Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Sir Mike Jukwe, relocated to Lagos from the Abuja Headquarters to conduct screening exercise for aspirants to the 15 slots reserved for the five federating freight forwarders.

According to the screening results sent to our correspondent, out of the 22 freight forwarders who indicated their interests for the elections, 16 were given a clean bill of health while four were disqualified and two declared absent.

Among those cleared are Kayode Farinto, the Vice-President of ANLCA, Aare Sanni Shittu, the former ANLCA President and a member of ANLCA BOT. Peter Obih, Henry Njoku, ANLCA BOT Chairman and Uche Increase, the National President of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF ).

Eugene Nweke, former President of NAGAFF and Ikokide Zebulon were among those disqualified.

http://nigeriamaritime360.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/GC-ELECTION-CONTESTANTS.pdf

The screening exercise, which was held Friday June 22nd, at the Lagos Zonal Office in Apapa, was witnessed by five Officers from the Department of State Security (DSS).

According to the programme of activities released by the CRFFN, Friday, 22nd June, 2018 was for display of the results at the Freight Forwarders’ Headquarters (CRFFN Head Office) and the Zonal Offices in Port Harcourt & Kano and the Liaison Office in Abuja.

Monday 25th and Tuesday 26th June, 2018 is dedicated for submission and resolution of all complaints arising there from at the Freight Forwarders’ Headquarters (CRFFN Head Office) while Wednesday, 27th June, 2018 is for display of final list of contestants.

Thursday, 28th June, 2018 is for accreditation of Voters at Freight Forwarders’ Headquarters, GRA Apapa, Lagos while Friday, 29th June, 2018 is slated for election and release of result at the Freight Forwarders’ Headquarters (CRFFN Head Office).

Monday 2nd – Wednesday 4th July, 2018 is for submission and resolution of all complaints arising there from at the Freight Forwarders’ Headquarters (CRFFN Head Office) while Thursday 5th July, 2018 is for retreat for all the 32 members and election of the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Governing Council at Abuja.

On Friday 6th July, 2018, the Minister of Transportation Rotimi Amaechi, is expected to inaugurate the 3rd Governing Council of the CRFFN in Abuja .

Meanwhile, Sir Jukwe said the Council was not a party to an idea being bandied by some freight forwarding groups that the 15 positions reserved for the freight forwarders in the council be shared among the five participating groups in a bid to engender inclusiveness in the Governing Council and foster harmony among themselves.

Jukwe disclosed that the Council Acts mandates it to conduct elections into the council and that is what he intends to do.

NAGAFF has proposed allocation of spaces to all the five participating groups based on their numerical strength.

Accordingly, the association said while NAGAFF and ANLCA should have five slots each due to their numerical superiority, other three associations should share the remaining five slots, a position opposed by some federating associations such as ANLCA and AREFF.