By Uzor Odigbo
The National President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Hon. Iju Tony Nwabunike is seeking for the autonomy of the Council for Registration of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).
He disclosed this during an interview with newsmen at an award ceremony organised by the management of Shipping World Media in Lagos.
He used the opportunity to urge the Federal Government to leave CRFFN alone for the body to stand on its own.
According to Nwabunike; “I am not saying it that way, what am trying to say is that government should leave CRFFN and allow it to stand on its feet so it can walk on its own”.
The ANLCA chief executive, who bagged the Freight Forwarder of the Decade award, also noted that CRFFN, which was established April 16, 2007 by Act 16 of the National Parliament, Section 5 of that Act, stated that the Minister of Transportation will be sought for advice and information and procedures.
Nwabunike, however, buttressed further that the aforementioned statement doesn’t mean the Minister of Transportation should be all and all of CRFFN.
“That does not mean that the Minister of Transportation should be all and all of CRFFN, don’t forget its the Council that regulates freight forwarders in Nigeria, so what we should be talking about is who are the ministry supposed to be regulating and controlling it?.
“If we go to Section 19 of the same act, is simple, it states that those who are supposed to be playing games at that place are the people who are licenced, if you don’t have the licence or if you are not licenced with the authority, you are not supposed to be there, but unfortunately, they have not given CRFFN a good seat.
“We started well with CRFFN, during my two- year tenure, I opened all the branches that are existing till date, all the chapters from Port Harcourt, Lagos, Kano and Abuja.
“That same period, I employed the very first Registrar, it was on my signature that he was employed. That same period, I took Nigeria flag to FIATA, we registered Nigeria flag at the FIATA and WCO.
“So, what I am trying to say is that it’s supposed to be a body of all freight forwarders that should be regulating us. What the government is trying to do is a game I don’t want to look into, in as much as it looks as if its a parastatal, when you look at it critically, it look like an association or as a council.
“I think it should have a good footing, standing on its legs otherwise, it will not work,” Nwabunike warned
