ANLCA’s multi-million naira Secretariat rots away in Seme border

By Dapo Olawuni

The multimillion naira Secretariat of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) at Seme Chapter has been deserted due to internal leadership wrangling in the association.

Investigations at the facility revealed that in order to avoid bloodshed, members no longer visit the secretariat as various factions are now laying claim to the seat of the chairman.

The secretariat was commissioned in January 2016 by ANLCA immediate past president, Prince Olayiwola Shittu.

In December 2018, National President of ANLCA, Tony Iju Nwabunike suspended all Western Zone chairmen of the association for allegedly disowning him as their national president.

He subsequently appointed interim coordinators to administer the various chapters.

However, the western zone chairmen has instituted court cases to challenge Tony Iju’s order.

Speaking with our correspondent , Chairman of Seme Chapter of ANLCA, Barr Bisiriyu Lasisi Fanu confirmed that there was crisis within the association but assured that fresh moves are now being taken to resolve it.

According to him, the lawyers of the aggrieved parties including the Board of Trustees, National Executive Committee (NECOM) and individual aggrieved parties lawyers have met last week with another meeting to hold soon.

When he was asked why the secretariat has been deserted, Barr Fanu said “There is internal problems within the association and it is not for outside consumption, the leaders of thought are meeting, there is nothing anybody to say to people like us that would make us divulge to the press on the position so far, but in the past, the secretariat used to pass and go (full of activity)”

“By the time we come back now, we would come out more stronger”

“Everybody wants peace, probably the president is having some challenges, when he came back, he gave me a call, but I was in London then, but since I came back, we have never met. He has met with some people and they discussed”

“I believe there are fresh moves now to resolve the crisis, all the lawyers handling the court cases, our lawyers and their laws have held a meeting, they plan to meet again very soon, it is a set towards resolving the crisis”

“Settling out of course, the constitution of ANLCA says we should do arbitration, when we do this, we still need to go back to court to evacuate the case” he said