ALLEGED MISAPPROPRIATION: Group Advocates EFCC , ICPC Probe On CRFFN Past,Present Governing Council Members

The Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders Importers Exporters Coalition (SNFFIEC) has called on the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences (ICPC) , to probe past and present governing council members, Council for the Regulations of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) over alleged issues bothering on irregularities and misappropriation of funds.

The group queried how officials of the agency under the Ministry of Transportation without contributing any monetary value to government coffers would expend billions of naira on vehicles purchase for governing council members without impacting on practitioners.

National Coordinator of the group,Chief Osita Chukwu Patrick, who made the plea during a press briefing on Wednesday in Lagos,called on the anti graft agencies to audit the council ‘s account since inception in 2007.

He alleged that, some past governing members are in possession of government properties after exiting office , noting that operational activities of CRFFN is questionable and must be subjected to scrutiny by the anti graft agencies.

Patrick also frowned at the poor performance of past and present governing council members to train practitioners with modern technique in freight forwarding practice, adding that capacity building for operators should have been the focal point of CRFFN existence and not buying of exotic cars.

Going further, the SNFFIEC boss tackled the Council For the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria for failure to deliver on its mandate and provide succor for freight forwarders.

“CRFFN has not grown as agency of government to the stage of buying Toyota Hilux and Jeeps for board members, when it is yet to fully its mandates of capacity building .

He said, “CRFFN has not shown any single thing regarding the delivery of its mandate to the people. For that reason, we are disappointed. Especially me that is having this press conference today. That is how bad it is.

“Freight forwarders are roasting. Those they working for including the government are robusting. We are dying. It takes somebody three months minimum to get a paper called Bill of Lading. You might be going to someone for six months and they will not listen to you.

“After six months, the person will now give you a Bill of lading and that bill of lading contains your cargo and you will perfect what you need to perfect. If that cargo gets to a place, you will be frustrated. You will not be able to make anything of your effort in six months and then you will start again.”

As a result, Patrick revealed that several industries have collapsed while several licenses have been taken away due to the council’s failure.

He asked that the current crop of council boards be removed while the professionals who know the technicalities of the business be allowed to be a part of the council through election.

It was gathered that some members of the council had sought for tenure elongation which brought an uproar among practitioners in the freight forwarding sub Sector of the maritime industry.

CRFFN was established in 2007 by an act of parliament mainly to train and retrain freight forwarders in Nigeria.

By Roland Ekama