ANLCA, National Council, others challenge Oyekachi’s appointment as CRFFN Registrar, sue minister

Four major registered freight forwarding associations under the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria ( CRFFN) has filed a lawsuit against the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, over the appointment of Mr. Onyekachi Kingsley as the Registrar of the Council.

The associations namely, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN), and National Air Freight Forwarders and Consolidators (NAFFAC) in a joint press briefing in Lagos on Thursday contend that the process that led to the appointment of the Registrar was flawed and disregarded established procedures.

Speaking, President of ANLCA, Emenike Nwokeoji explained that the position of the Registrar was advertised in 2023, applications were received, and shortlisted candidates were scheduled for interviews, but the process was abruptly halted.

His words, “February last year, that position was advertised and a lot of people applied. The applicants were shortlisted, they were scheduled to meet for an interview in the future and they attended. Eventually, the interview did not hold.

“The surprising aspect of the appointment is that the person appointed or purported to have been appointed was not even part of those that applied for that job last year. So, when that announcement came, we tried to make some inquiries on where this is coming from. We observed that nobody could give us any clear answer to how they came about it.

“And we know what the Act stated about appointment of a Registrar. So, when we could not get the required response from the authorities, we decided to now seek further clarification from the courts. So, we are here to inform you, as you can see here, all the four associations out of five, we are here to brief you that yes, we are in court.

“We are in court for one single purpose, that every building stands on its foundation. Every structure stands on its foundation. And like the Bible says, when the foundation is weak, it is faulty.

“If every other thing, or the process of production is faulty, the end product is bound to be faulty. So, let the court look at that action taken or purported to have been taken. Did it follow the laid down process of appointment of a registrar? It falls short of what the law says and so we have come together to denounce that appointment that did not follow due process.”

Also speaking, President of NAFFAC,Yinka Bakare said the associations’ primary concern is not with the individual appointed or his affiliation with the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders ( NAGAFF) but with the integrity of the appointment process itself.

“We don’t have an issue with who is appointed or where the person comes from.

“The only issues we have here is the process and procedure of the appointment. And that is what we need an interpretation for and what the position of the acts. And that is why we went to court, ” he said.

The leaders of the four groups were unanimous in their position that adhering to due process is crucial for the effective functioning of the CRFFN.

They maintained that they are committed to upholding the principles of transparency and accountability within the freight forwarding industry.

The National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents was represented at the meeting by its President, Ifeanyin Anakwueze, while AREFFN was equally represented by its President,Bala Daura.

Photo caption:

Leaders of the four freight forwarding associations in a group photograph after the joint press briefing at ANLCA national secretariat in Lagos on Thursday.