ANLCA bounces back

By Abiodun OBA

It was a day of renewed hope as key players in the maritime sector, as well as Customs brokerage business across Africa, gathered for the official inauguration of the National Executive Committee (NECOM) of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA).

Speaking at the function, Chairman of the occasion, former Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr Dakuku Peterside called on all maritime stakeholders and regulatory agencies to support the newly elected executives headed by Emenike Nwokeoji.

Peterside called on the Nigeria Customs Service to support ANLCA members by making concessions and ensure that the association regain its pride of place.

“The partnership between ANLCA and customs is like a marriage that can never be divorced. As for Customs, ANLCA is your wife in this marriage, and you must be a good husband, support them, make concessions where you need to.

Your regulatory powers do not mean you should suppress them, it means you should encourage them to succeed,” he said.

Dakuku charged Emenike Nwokeoji not to use his position as President of ANLCA to oppress members, but to use it in advancing their course.

“You must have the trust and understanding of members of this association, it is when we are honest, humble, accommodating, when we don’t know the difference between South East, South West, North, South South, we treat everyone equally, that is when you can earn our respect and trust, we would give them to you, and you shall succeed.

“Leaders in this part of the world, take advantage of their position, instead of serving others, they oppress others. But I know you as a knight of the church, a man who fears God, you will not use your position to oppress anyone but to advance our common interests and reputation and strength of this association, by doing so, even our friends from Customs would respect our members and support them.

“Leadership is not an easy task, people will abuse you, they would insult you, they would tell lies, but I want to beg you to be tolerant. In the African parlance, they say a leader is a dustbin.

“Let me appeal to the members, we have passed through enough crisis, let us all rally round the President and ensure that ANLCA becomes stronger, respected, reputable and enjoy support of all regulators in the industry.

“There is strength in unity, and we are greater together, let bygone be bygone so that government of Nigeria would respect us the more.

“The executives are counting on us to succeed,” Dakuku stated.

Also speaking, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi who was represented by the Assistant Comptroller General Zone ‘A’ ACG Bello Jybo expressed confidence in the calibre and character of the newly elected NECOM members, even as he pledged full support of his administration to ANLCA.

Adeniyi said, “We are ready to synergize with you, we are readily available for regular consultations in order to ensure success in our operations. With these executives, our already existing relationship would become stronger and better”.

The President General of Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) Comrade Adewale Adeyanju called for sustenance of the newly found peace in ANLCA.

“I want to tell the new executives and Mr President, that being a president is not a tea party, you must close ranks and allow peace to reign within the sector.

“The port system is bigger than everyone of us, the founding fathers of ANLCA has played a significant role in bringing the association to where it is today, you cannot allow external forces to influence the peace that makes ANLCA what it is today.

“To Mr President, you must not allow this association to go into extinction, you must allow peace to continue to reign by bringing all aggrieved members onboard.”

Chairman Board of Trustees of ANLCA, Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha on his part noted that ANLCA has suffered a great blow in the past five years due to its protracted leadership crisis.

Mustapha charged the ANLCA President, saying, “Whatever we have lost in the last five years, we need to regain it as fast as we could.

“From today on, you must know that ego should be a thing of the past, be open to everyone, irrespective of whichever divide they are coming from.

“Haven known you as a gentleman with wisdom and sagacity, I know that you would weather the storm and bring ANLCA back to its limelight.”

In his remark, the ANLCA National President, Emenike Nwokeoji noted that following the five years crisis the association suffered, it is now time to come together to chart a new course of relevance for the association.

“It is in the light of this that I, and other members of my executive, seek the support of you – our mutual and common-stakeholders, in the pursuit of a mutually beneficial collaboration and partnership, in this arduous, but not impossible, task of leading ANLCA back to National and International reckoning.

“We intend to hereafter reach out to all the stakeholders to synergize on issues bordering on the advancement of the Maritime and Aviation industry, and infact, on National Policy issues as it affects our subsector, in order to present a formidable, common front.

“To ANLCA members, I must thank all of you for your resilience, perseverance, understanding and patience, during the crisis, so much so, that you never fell for the cajoling of other associations to join them, by departing ANLCA for theirs.

“The NECOM election at Federal Palace Hotel was lost by both contending parties but won by all ANLCA members.

“Building on our Restoration mantra, we have done so much within so short a period in stabilising the ship of our great Association. Peace and unity are most paramount than ever before.

“After years of doldrums, we should avoid divisions and work in harmony to collectively protect our common heritage before others, particularly foreigners, will shove us behind.

“Once again let’s close ranks with sister associations and collectively rescue our profession from outsiders masquerading as Clearing Agents or Customs Brokers before it’s too late,” he said.