The Acting Director, Finance and Account for Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) , Mr Ikima Linus has called on the attention of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy to probe his removal from the REMITA Platform of the Council by the Acting Registrar/CEO Mrs Uromta Chinyere.
According to a letter signed Ikima , which was addressed to the Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Oloruntola Olufemi, Ikima alleged that Mrs Uromta sent the information of his removal from the REMITA Platform on 27th August, 2024 through a REMITA User Modification Email.
He added that the Ag Registrar CRFFN removed two Payment Initiators and one Payment Verifier and replaced them with her preferred candidates without seeking his opinion as the Head of Finance and Accounts.
He reported to the Permanent Secretary that Mrs Uromta has made his stay in office frustrating and unbearable.He requested that the Mr Olorunola disregard her selfish reasons for her actions while he requested that Mrs Uromta returns them to their posts.
” The Acting Registrar/CEO should be advised to refrain from continuously harassing, intimidating and blackmailing me with the intention to get me out of the
” The Permanent Secretary is kindly requested to disregard any negative reason(s) the Acting Registrar/CEO would have advanced in her request to remove me from the REMITA Platform as her actions are purely based on prolonged hatred and Vandetta against me ”
“The Acting Registrar/CEO is advised to return me to being the Ag DFA and the other three role players she removed and replaced with her preferred candidates back to the REMITA Platform to enable us perform other functions that require access to the platform apart from payments ”
The Ag DFA stated that neither the governing council that approved his deployment nor the supervising Ministry which is the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has removed him as Head of Finance and Accounts as he has been performing his duties diligently without being under any disciplinary action.
He said he would not be held responsible for any changes in the activities going on in his original post since 27th August ,2024.
” The governing council in December 2022 approved my deployment from Deputy Director Finance and Accounts to Acting DFA in 2022 when the DFA on posting to CRFFN was redeployed to another organization f OAGF.The IAGF posted another Treasury Staff in 2021, a Chief Accountant to vice me . Neither the governing council nor the supervising Ministry has removed me as the Acting DFA”
” In that capacity, I perform the role of ‘payments Final Approver’ on the REMITA Platform.Access to the REMITA Platform also enables me to carry out other operations ”
“Outright removal from the platform which is the council’s gateway for revenue receipts and payment is tantamount to denial of access of the platform is that I shall not be held responsible for anything that happens concerning these functions with effect from August 27th, 2024”
In another Memo sent to the Ag/CEO , CRFFN Head, Internal Audit ,Chairmen of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) and Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) , Ikima informed that he is no longer responsible for handling expenditure of the council and that he has withdrawn from the processing and paying of staff salaries.
He instructed staff of the council to direct all account issues to the Ag/CEO directly.
“The sum of N13,066,700 meant for the third party remittance is intact in the Council’s TSA account as at 10th September, 2024 pending the completion of staff processes which involves staff pensions, National Housing Fund, PAYE and Union Dues”
” Staff of the Council are hereby advised to henceforth direct all payment matters, enquiries and complaints directly to the CEO who has effected the changes in Finance and Accounts department the propriety which is subject for further consideration ” he wrote.
While attempting to inquire from the Ag Registrar/CEO why she took the decision, our reporter put a call through to her. She responded by saying she was in a meeting.
A message was sent to her and she hasn’t responded as at press time.
Employees of the CRFFN are being owed salaries of over six months in arrears as the council under Uromta has been unable to generate revenue for salaries and other running costs.
