By Okey IROEGBU
The long expected peace in Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) is finally here with the election of Emenike Nwokeoji as the national president of the association. As a means of restoring the dignity of the foremost freight forwarding association in an official inauguration of the National Executive Committee (NECOM) of the Association was marked by pageantry, as key players in the maritime sector, as well as Customs brokers across graced the occasion.Prior to the inauguration this media was reliably informed by the Special Assistant to the
ANLCA President on Media, Alhaji Ayokunle Sulaiman, that the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, Wale Adeniyi would be the Special Guest of Honor at event. He also confirmed that guests from all over West African nations including Liberia, Ghana, Togo among others have arrived Lagos for the day’s event.The former Executive Secretary of Nigerian Shippers Council, Barr Hassan Bello was also expected to deliver the lecture of the day, while the Managing Director of Nigerian Ports
Authority (NPA) Mohammed Bello-Koko and other maritime industry creme-d’ la creme are expected to be in attendance.The Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi was represented by the Assistant Comptroller General Zone ‘A’ ACG Bello Jibo who expressed confidence in the caliber and character of the newly elected NECOM members, as he said
“The service has a great confidence in the caliber of persons that are going to drive this association to a higher level. We are ready to synergize with you, we are readily available for regular consultations in order to ensure success in our operations. With this executives, our already existing relationship would become stronger and better”The former Director General of Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside was the chairman of the occasion. Speaking at the function, he called on all maritime stakeholders and regulatory agencies to support the newly elected executives headed by Emenike Nwokeoji. He reiterated the need for 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 does not mean you should suppress them, it means you should encourage them to succeed.“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 executive are counting on our succeed” Dakuku statedOn his own contribution, the Chairman Board of Trustees of ANLCA, Alhaji Taiwo 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,” he concludes.Responding, 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 stabilizing the ship of our great Association. Peace and unity is 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
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