Otunba Frank Ogunojemite
The President of Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders Association of Nigeria (APFFLON) Otunba Frank Ogunojemite has urged the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Gboyega Oyetola to reassess Freight Forwarding Associations towards sustaining sectoral reforms.
In a letter made available to this medium by the President APFFLON posited that The reformation initiatives championed through the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) have indeed been a beacon of hope for professionalism, accountability, and capacity building across the industry. However, recent developments indicate that the foundation of these reforms is under serious threat due to the current state and conduct of some registered freight forwarding associations.
Otunba Frank said the lack of uniformity in compliance, poor ethical standards, weakening representation, and internal leadership crises within many of these associations are eroding public trust and destabilizing the regulatory goals the Ministry and CRFFN have worked diligently to implement. Without timely intervention, these groups may inadvertently collapse the very reforms intended to strengthen the industry.
Below is the full text of the letter written to the Ministrer of Marine and Blue Economy by the President of APFFLON.
The Honourable Minister
Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy
Federal Secretariat Complex,
Shehu Shagari Way,
Central Business District,
Abuja, FCT, Nigeria.
Dear Honourable Minister,
URGENT CALL FOR INTERVENTION IN REASSESSING FREIGHT FORWARDING ASSOCIATIONS TO SUSTAIN SECTORAL REFORMS
I write to you with a deep sense of urgency and patriotic concern for the sustainability of the ongoing reforms within Nigeria’s freight forwarding sector under your esteemed leadership.
The reformation initiatives championed through the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) have indeed been a beacon of hope for professionalism, accountability, and capacity building across the industry. However, recent developments indicate that the foundation of these reforms is under serious threat due to the current state and conduct of some registered freight forwarding associations.
The lack of uniformity in compliance, poor ethical standards, weakening representation, and internal leadership crises within many of these associations are eroding public trust and destabilizing the regulatory goals the Ministry and CRFFN have worked diligently to implement. Without timely intervention, these groups may inadvertently collapse the very reforms intended to strengthen the industry.
In light of this, I respectfully urge you to direct the Registrar of the CRFFN to immediately carry out a comprehensive reassessment and revalidation of all freight forwarding associations in Nigeria. This process should include, but not be limited to:
• Verifying compliance with CRFFN regulations and ethical standards;
• Auditing membership credibility and internal governance structures;
• Evaluating each association’s contribution to professional development and industry growth;
• Disbanding or restructuring associations found to be non-compliant or counterproductive to national objectives.
This reassessment is critical not only to restore order and professionalism but also to ensure that only credible associations continue to partner with the government in advancing the goals of the Marine and Blue Economy sector.
Also as you have advocated during the National Single Window seminar at Mariot hotel on transparency and accountability. Please instruct Alhaji Nura Umar MD SW Global to make account of total POF been collected to your office and the CRFFN registrar
Your timely directive in this regard will not only save the industry from impending collapse but will also preserve your administration’s legacy of transformative leadership and sectoral reform.
I trust in your wisdom and commitment to repositioning our maritime economy for global competitiveness.
Thank you for your anticipated action and enduring service to our nation.
Yours faithfully,
Otunba Frank OGUNOJEMITE