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Council debunks alleged financial irregularities Lauds FG order on truck evacuation from port roads
The Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, CRFFN, has cleared the air on the alleged financial irregularities of the council, given clean bill of health to all prior financial transactions by his predecessors.
The Chairman Council Governing, Alhaji Tsanni Abubakar told Vanguard Maritime Report during the CRFFN 22nd Meeting that there was no truth in the allegation, and that those who alleged have since realized their mistake and forgotten about the matter. He explained that the unfortunate allegation has since been overtaken by events.
This is even as the Council has applauded the federal government latest stance in tackling the menace of the Apapa port roads and its environs gridlock, following the ultimate to remove trucks from the affected axis within a given time frame.
Speaking on the alleged financial irregularities purportedly by past administrations, Abubakar said that the Council has been working and not impeded in any way, adding that Aniebonam has withdrawn the allegation having realized that there was no truth in it.
His words, “There is nothing like that and I believe that they have withdrawn their statement because they realized there is nothing. If there is anything, their members are here, they are in the best position to say it. So, I believe there is nothing that is why they still remain silent. So, there is no issue of irregularities in the issue generally.”
Recall that the founder, National Association of Govt. Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam who made the allegation specifically said the development had made it impossible for the current Governing Council to carry out its statutory mandate and called for probe of the past leaderships of the council.
Abubakar explained that the council is working very hard to attract positive developments to the industry, adding: “we are looking at critical goalposts that will bring success to practitioners and the industry, a lot of things will be coming in for the freight forwarding industry.”
On the directive by the presidency to truck owners to remove them from the road into parking lots, Vice Chairman of the Council, Chief Henry Njoku said it was the best news in recent time, and expressed confidence that the task is doable within the time frame consideration given by the federal government.
He said, “We are very much happy with Mr. President. I am very sure that they are addressing it, and I am sure they are going to adhere to it. The directive and plans are achievable. What happens in Nigeria is that we have law and people do not obey it. But I believe that this present order will work.
“For you to get a truck to come out from there, you are paying between N300,000 and N400,000, compare to the N50, 000 to N60, 000 paid before now. It doesn’t augur well for the economy. Those importers will transfer the cost of those things to the masses and buyers. If the FG has acted long time ago, they would have gotten solution to it. But it is better to take action than not to take at all.”