BY EGUONO ODJEGBA
What observers believe was an old plot to tilt the economic and material benefits that accrue to the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) and thus its teeming members to a select camp of office holders and their cronies was nigh transformed into reality at the Council’s meeting of September 8, 2022; held in its Lagos temporary office.
Apparently acting the script of the chief plotter and conceited self appointed sheriff, with the dubious reputation of always seeking to put his finger in the financial tin of any organization he finds himself, his foot soldiers and co-conspirators were said to have literally overran proceedings at the meeting in attempt to railroad the Council Registrar/CEO, Barr. Sam Nwakohu; into surrendering to their nefarious demands.
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As a demonstration of their resolve, the alleged e disgruntled members reportedly voted against further proceedings in respect of the acquisition of a landed property for its head office at the meeting, followed by veiled threats to ‘impeach’ the Registrar as it were; amid continuing plot to sabotage the choice of Lagos as location for its Headquarters, in preference for Abuja; findings revealed.
The Registrar who was rumoured to have traded off a number of such issues on compromise just so to move the Council forward, reportedly refused to be pushed any farther; and thus said to have resolved to see the end of the game, irrespective of the risks and whatever injury that may come his way.
Thus the meeting was reportedly brought to a chaotic end, with the Registrar seemingly at the receiving end, as the renowned arch plotter, his co-conspirators and all their men apparently in the majority held the Council hostage; like they have done for awhile, revealed insiders.
According to additional insider information, the disgruntled elements not satisfied deploying the outwardly compromised majority vote against the interest of forward looking freight forwarders, also caused to be circulated a flyer in the online social media, allegation that the Nwakohu is embroiled in N800million property acquisition scandal.
They didn’t end their accusations there, the Registrar they claim was considering throwing in the towel, having purportedly been overwhelmed by questionable admission of guilt allegedly arising from abuse of office; to which he reportedly have begged for forgiveness from the governing council .
Faced with the negative activities of the centrifugal interests, the multitude of practitioners in the industry are faced with both administrative and operational challenges, throwing their profession, trade and the freight industry into a worsening state of disrepute, divisiveness and uncertain future.
But well meaning and responsible insiders and industry players familiar with the antics of the principal protagonist who double as a top ranking council member, have called for caution amongst practitioners and urged the Ministry of Transportation to reign in its officials believed to be showing biased interests in the matters of the Council; especially in relation to the ongoing false alarms, allegations and illegal administrative structures said to have been indiscriminately emplaced by the same self serving power seekers within the council.
Pinnacle Time learnt that these administrative structures in the form of caucus committees are contrivances set up to render ineffective the daily running of the affairs of the Council; and largely to checkmate and or ensnare the registrar on whose shoulders the operations of the council and freight forwarders lies, to continue to pander to their narrow interests.
Those whose business it is to know believe that all of the problems of the CRFFN revolves around two individuals with a large horde of cantankerous followers.
Further findings by our reporter indicate that one of the two individuals is notorious for underhand scheming that accentuates his narrow financial wars, and whose war mongering disposition in matters of financial gains and related position of influence is known to be a recurring decimal in the freight forwarding industry.
What is he looking for this time around? What is the focus of the present in-fighting in the CRFFN? Is the Council Registrar guilty of the various allegations that have so far been peddled against him? How often is the governing council supposed to sit? And is it competing with the Chief Executive Officer that has responsibility for the daily running of the council’s affairs?
All of these questions will be answered in our Friday edition, which will be served together with juicy reports of all the intrigues, blackmail, power struggle, the poisonous last council rigged election; those believed to have rigged themselves in, those that provided the enabling grounds; and many more revelations on the gang fight over the council’s finances.
Our Friday edition will also highlight the activities of the centrifugal plotters who like to pass themselves off as nay-sayers, which consists of various camps, what they have done in the past, and what they are doing presently to undermine the stability of the council and capacity performances of freight forwarders at large through in-fighting.