Strong indications emerged last week that peace may soon elude the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) following the failure of at least 10 of the association’s chapter chairmen to comply with an earlier directive to remit their outstanding monthly dues to the national secretariat before March 15, 2011.
Strong indications emerged last week that peace may soon elude the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) following the failure of at least 10 of the association’s chapter chairmen to comply with an earlier directive to remit their outstanding monthly dues to the national secretariat before March 15, 2011.
Shipping Position Weekly confirmed authoritatively that even though the decision to come hard on defaulting chapters were jointly taken by the national leadership of the association, majority of the chapters did not meet the payment deadline, while many of those paid, did not make full payment.
As at press time, only about seven, out of the association’s 17 chapter chairmen have made some remittances, a development which is already given the national executives; especially the association’s national president, Prince Olayiwola Shittu sleepless night. In fact, none of them has made full payment
Majority of the defaulting chapters; especially the chairmen claimed that they have been funding the chapters with their personal funds and that they were not in a position to pay the monthly levy by the national headquarters.
Our correspondent also confirmed that the chapters are rated for monthly remittances according to the volume of cargo handled in the ports and border. For instance, we learnt that Apapa chapter of the association is expected to pay about N200, 000 into the national coffers monthly, while chapters like Tin Can port pays slightly less and chapters like Ikorodu pays the least amount.
The national secretariat had reportedly complained that the various chapters were starving it of its statutory revenue from remittance, which we learnt, has so far run into millions of Naira.
Shipping Position Weekly recalls that ANLCA had given the heads of its various chapters until March 15, 2011 to pay up or risk sanctions, a development which is likely to cause unease in the association.
One of the affected chieftains (names withheld) acknowledged that all of us were at the meeting where we pledged to pay, but my brother, things are not as rosy as they
A chapter chairman confirmed to our correspondent in Lagos last week that many of them were unable to pay and that the national executive had threatened to remove them.
However, no action has been taken on the matter as at press time and none of the executives could be reached for comments. Sources however confirmed that the national president is out of the country and that he had directed that further actions be suspended until his arrival this week.
A source that is very close to the national secretariat tod our correspondent last weekend that a meeting has however, been fixed, pending the arrival of the national president.
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