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Dr. Frank Ukor; AREFFN President |
The attention of Association of Registered Freight
Forwarders, Nigeria(AREFFN) high command has been drawn to the publication on
Shipping Position Daily of 4th Nov. 13 on page 7, accredited to one
Chucks Kanikwu David on various issues including an attack on the President and
members as well as the association itself.
We would have ignored his out bursts because ‘Silence is the
best answer to a fool’, but because the general public may think that he is
correct. He set out purposely to deceive the public with his outright lies and
half truths.
Tin-can is not a notorious port, Tin-Can is an elitist port”
This is a clear contradiction of the position of the CG of Customs during his
recent visit to the Lagos ports.
Who is now saying the truth, the CG or the new Secretary of
Tin-Can Chapter of ANLCA who is just making every effort to please his boss who
installed him at the chapter. In further
defense of this position, he said, `what happened was that the coloration changed
when the last executives came on board. I do not know how they got the
notoriety, all of a sudden, so many
unorthodox practices that we were not used to, started coming up-
beating Customs officers and closing port gates started becoming frequent as they threw the virtues of dialogue to the
winds’’. This can only be told to people who are new in the industry. We all
know the modus operandi of ANLCA who so much believe in the application of
unorthodox measures to achieve their set objectives. This method worked and was
applauded long time ago when most of the operatives in the industry were not
properly trained.
The emergence of AREFFN was partly to show that freight
forwarding could be carried out in an atmosphere of mutual trust among the
operators and other stake holders. Because we parade a crop of polished
leaders, our approach has been remarkably different and we have been achieving
results to the chagrin of our detractors. The face of freight forwarding must
change.
Mr. Kanikwu and his ilk appear to have been in the industry because the good ones had
been crowded out through acts of intimidation, extortion, intrigue and
outright perfidy. Mr Kankwu has oscillated severally between
ANLCA and NAGAFF just looking for the ‘’ greener pasture’’ which he appears to
have finally found in his new position in Tin can. His subtle attachment on the immediate past
executives of Tin Can is just to establish himself that he is ready to pay any
price to satisfy his benefactors. No wonder his attack on AREFFN and its President,
a perfect known gentleman, who has contributed immensely to the development in
the industry. He has vehemently denied ever registering with and obtaining
ANLCA Biometric Identity Card, and has challenged Mr Kanikwu to show proof of
his assertion. ~I do not need ANLCA biometric identity card because I am not a
member of ANLCA. Dr. Frank Ukor did not register with ANLCA. I challenge Mr
Kanikwu to show the world that my identity card~, he said.
Mr Knaikwu’s views on the Council for Regulation of Freight
Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) simply
exposes his limited knowledge of the workings of this agency. CRFFN was established by law and given
provisions under which to operate. It also has structures with which to
implement its mandate. One would have expected Mr. Kanikwu to point out areas
where the CRFFN has gone beyond its mandate. This, he could not do because
CRFFN has been operating within the terms of its mandate. Is it the duty of a
chapter Secretary of an association, who is seeking relevance, to query the
vision, mission and contribution of another rival association within the industry?
I think the CRFFN is the only body backed with such responsibility and there is
no evidence that this task has been transferred to any outsider. If CRFFN
demands the vision and achievements of AREFFN since it came into existence,
AREFFN wILL willingly submit it to them, but not to the whims and caprices of
Kanikwu and his backers.
The problem with Mr Kanikwu and his
association is that because of the so called long dominion of the industry by
the association, the issue of regulation which connotes control becomes an anathema
in their calculation. Thus, their total opposition to any form of external
control is the fulcrum around which all their distractive antics are
centered. ANLCA President has tactfully thwarted
all the efforts made by various groups to get CRFFN back on course.
CRFFN has been bogged
down for such a long time and if the agency thinks that ANLCA and its cohorts
will ever willingly submit to its hegemony which was conferred on it by law,
then the realization of its mandate may not be soon. CRFFN is formed to regulate the Associations
and never the other way round as some associations would prefer. If Kanikwu’s
views actually represent the stand point of his association, then the CRFFN is
expected to do the needful so that this kind of ridicule would stop.
We know that it is not Kanikwu that is talking. This is a
case of `hand of Esau and Voice of Jacob’.
We really sympathize with the management of CRFFN over its
predicament, because the forces against it are many, including some wealthy
agencies of same federal government of Nigeria. What a shame!
Signed:
Fwdr. Chidi Anthony
Opara(RFF)
Presidential Adviser on
Publicity
AREFFN.
08037134772
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