This is the second time in about five weeks that we are using this page to set agenda on the way forward for the embattled Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA). The last time that we expressed our opinion on the negative impact that the inability to conduct is likely to have on ANLCA, some parties to the problem reacted in an uncivilized manner.
Since that time, a lot of efforts have been put in place by some leaders and some members to nip the festering crisis in the bud and get the once highly respected association back on its feet.
In a chat wit the editor of this newspaper recently, the chairman of the association’s board of trustees regretted that ANLCA had derailed from the era of its past leaders; especially that of Senator Sani Kamba. According to him, Kamba thought them a lot of good things about how an association should be run.
It was towards the tail end of Kamba’s tenure that scandalous non-Import Duty Report (IDR) came up and led to the revocation of operating licenses of virtually all registered customs agents for alleged complicity in the clearance of questionable imports.
This development led to the emergence of the first rival body within the fold of licensed customs agents. The birth of the Mr Lucky Amiwero-led National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents temporarily took the shine off and also diminished the influence of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents.
And as if that was not enough, Dr Boniface Aniebonam stepped down as ANLCA’s chairman of customs agents’ relations committee to found the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) and with this, the journey to irrelevance for ANLCA began. The battle to regain its lost glory took the better part of the short-lived tenure of Mr Peter Okocha, while the duo of Aare Sanni Shittu and Alhaji Inua Mohammed tried unsuccessfully to ‘repackage’ the association to no avail.
It was not until Chief Ernest Elochukwu came on board that expectations became high that perhaps the association would begin its match towards regaining its lost glory.
This takes us to the current situation in ANLCA where serious issues bordering on tribal sentiments, ambition, suspicion and political mudslinging are almost killing the association.
Of these issues, the emergence of tribal war lords may be the greatest undoing of the association.
That is why we commend the boldness of the BOT chairman, Chef Henry Njoku in pointing it out at the recent NEC meeting. He was bold enough to tell those who have been fanning embers of disunity within ANLCA by playing up tribal sentiments that they were doing such for their personal gains.
Some people have argued that since the exit of Alhaji Kamba, the association has not been fortunate to have a purposeful, goal- driven and altruistic leadership. According to these people, successive leadership have always looked at the office as a means to their self-serving end and not as a means to a new lease of live for ANLCA. Others have also pontificated that the problems of the association stemmed from the loss of its previously unrivalled status as the only voice of teeming licensed customs agents. To these people, the emergence of NAGAFF and Council of Managing Directors, coupled with type of leadership that has been foisted upon ANLCA are the contributory factors to its present state of near-irrelevance.
The current crisis has been made worse by the allegation that the caretaker committee which is led by Chief Henry Njoku is reluctant to leave office; hence the polarisation of the association into different factions and interests.
We think what the BOT is trying to proof is that it is much better for ANLCA to have a national executive that is elected by equally elected chapter executives. If that is so, then they should be commended.
To have come from the association’s chapters all over the country is an indication that members still love ANLCA and would sacrifice anything to see it bounce back and we dare say that the recent meeting in Lagos may well be the last opportunity to get it right.
Some people have argued that the only problem is how to conduct a credible, free and fair election and that once this is done, every other thing will straighten out. We quite agree with that position, and we also have confidence in the ability of the association’s electoral committee which is headed by highly – respected Prince Olayiwola Shittu to deliver; not only a credible election in the remaining chapters, but also when the national executive council elections will be conducted.
Discussion about this post