There seems to be a cold war in the National Executive Committee of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), as the association has distanced itself from a recent letter written to the World Customs Organization (WCO) over discrepancies in valuation by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
Shipping Position Daily recently sighted a letter written by the Vice President of the association; Mr Kayode Farinto to the Secretary General of WCO, Mr. Kunio Mikuriya.
In the petition, ANLCA had accused the NCS of flouting the valuation principles of the WCO by not following its implementation sequentially and in hierarchical order.
The letter titled: "An Appeal for Interpretation of World Trade Organisation (WTO) Valuation Agreement and Other Sundry Expenses" and signed by the Vice President of ANLCA, with reference number ANLCA/WCI/VOL042/08/020, alleged that against the Nigeria Customs Service was imposing Internet value of cargoes on the trading community in Nigeria.
However, when asked to react to the allegations raised by ANLCA, the National Public Relations officer of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Mr. Joseph Attah denied knowledge of the letter and also denied receipt of any petition from the WCO, even as he urged our correspondent to speak with the President of the association on the matter.
But, in a telephone chat with our correspondent, the National President of ANLCA; Mr Tony Nwabunike tactically aid that the association was already looking into the matter. He refused to comment further.
But, in a press statement sent to our correspondent, the National Publicity Secretary of the association Mr. Joe Sanni said the letter written by the vice president of the association shows utter disregard for the association’s protocol and due process. He also accused the Vice President of insubordination and self -preservation.
Sanni accused the Vice President of pushing his ‘self-interests as members’ interests’.
According to him “First, it must be noted that Kayode Farinto has no constitutional right, as a national vice president of ANLCA to interface, inform or even misinform-in this case- the public, without being directed by the National President of ANLCA.
“Second, Kayode Farinto is not the National Publicity Secretary of ANLCA. Thirdly, none of the organs of governance in ANLCA met to discuss operational challenges as they affect members, not to talk of writing a letter to WCO, while ignoring/jumping over the Nigeria Customs Service”
“Simply put, Kayode Farinto acted on his own volition and perhaps, as the owner of his licensed Customs agency – Wealthy Honey Investments Ltd”
“Coming down to specifics, it must be noted that Kayode Farinto exhibited gross professional ignorance of processes and procedures, when he complained directly to the World Customs Organization about issues concerning Nigeria Customs Service and its mode of operations, without firstly exhausting channels of redress in Nigeria, and also looking at the WCO operating standard guidelines as it involves its member-states”
“As an individual, Kayode should have reached out, if he had a modicum of integrity left in him and feeling so concerned, to the importers’ associations to sensitize them to take up the issue, through Manufactures Association of Nigeria, to expressly address his valuation concerns”.
However, reacting to the letter, a member of the association who pleaded anonymity gave kudos to the Vice President for writing the letter, he described the Vice President as “the only vibrant executive member of the association who speaks not for his interest, but the interest of the association at large”.
He urged the National President to “wake up from his slumber and fight for the interest of the association”.
“Why would they accuse him of insubordination, this is a man who has been fighting for the interest of the association, how many times has the President called a press conference to address challenges facing us in the industry.
“Rather than seeing the VP as his enemy, he should rather embrace him, support him or wake up from his slumber”, he said.
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