Cosmas Ndimkora (NAGAFF, PTML chapter)
When you put a round peg in a round hole it will fit in properly and that is what just happened with the coming of Shittu, he is a maritime guru, he has been there as a spokesperson for ANLCA and he has been a part and parcel of the association, so for him to have got to this level, he must have garnered enough knowledge on his way up. Now that he is there, we can see the changes in terms of their output to the industry, in terms of their relationship with everybody around them. He is an educated man who came with all the experiences knowing full well that conflict does not bring anything, and from what I have seen and heard from him he has been educating ANLCA members that there should be a level playing ground for everybody. For us to really actualize our purpose in the port; there must be a synergy between the three associations and get whatever that is our right inside this port. There is now this synergy between the NAGAFF high command and the ANLCA team, no man is an island, what you don’t have, I may have and by the time we join them together, we will achieve results. He has been a very proactive and visionary leader who knows what will be put in place to make everything okay. To me I will say that Shittu has done wonderfully well and ANLCA is on the right track.
Bradillo Emmanuel (Clearing agent)
I can see ANLCA beginning to gain its voice back in the industry, the new executives have been doing a nice job and my advice to them is that they should not lose focus, they should continue with the work they are doing. For instance, when there was this problem at one of the terminals where there was some charges that were frivolous, they came out and forced government to intervene, so I advice them to continue in that spirit, they should not relent, though there will be frustrations along the way, people will try to malign them in order to make them derail, but they must remain focused and at the end of the day everyone will be the better for it.
Chief Emmanuel Tobi (ANLCA, PTML chapter)
The commendation is very high; if you go to the secretariat you will see it for yourself. Before now, we were not having a secretariat but when Prince Shittu came in and he gave us a good secretariat that is well furnished and well equipped. I am very sure that if he continues like this in the next two years, you will see more of this association. Even the CG of customs that came to the retreat we just concluded commended the association, the insurance companies and the banks also came and they gave lectures and commendations, so you can see that he has really tried a lot. The next step for us now is to get a permanent site for the association and which I believe that very soon it will be ready and this will also be a very good plus for us. As for our relationship with other sister associations, you can see that the NAGAFF high command was also present at our retreat and they supported us and even at the chapter level here we are relating very fine.
Abiodun Ibidunni (Clearing agent)
I believe that ANLCA was established in order to be a sort of intermediary between the clearing agents and the government and also to checkmate and fight for the rights of agents whenever there is any unfavorable increase in the amount of money used in clearing of cargo or if there is an arbitrary increase charges, I also believe that it is mainly to take care of the welfare of agents. To a great extent, the present administration has been doing well in all these areas, we know the former executives of the association has always been ridden with troubles and undercurrents, but currently the association under Prince Olayiwola Shittu is calm and heading in the right track, even though I don’t belong to any association for now, but at least I have friends in some of the associations, and eventually if I intend to join one, I might end up with ANLCA because of the unity and exposure that has been instilled.
Ugochukwu Ray (Maritime reporter)
I am seeing an association that is beginning to be well –focused; in the sense that they are now charting a course in a particular direction unlike before when we could not get ANLCA anywhere, but of course I am not surprised because somebody like Shittu right from time has been focused and whatever he says he will do, he goes all out to do it no matter what it takes. Look at the peaceful overtures they have been making even to the hitherto unfriendly association like NAGAFF, this is the type of thing we are expecting in the industry and at the end of the day, it is the system that benefits, if everybody is on his own fighting and knocking their heads they are losers. I remember at a time when it used to be ANLCA alone as an association, before any budget is passed, they will make recommendations to the government and when the budget is released, they do an appraisal and a critique, send it back to the government and the government will listen. So, I am beginning to see an ANLCA that will go along with other groups and attain that position that they were before, I really commend the leadership. For now the relationship between them and other groups might not be happening in the immediate, it will take some time, but by the time the lower level chapters now see that their bosses at the top are eating and winning together with one another or with the other rival groups, then it will start invigorating their mentality that there it is no longer war-war and this will trickle down and in a short while it will get across.
Chief Achike Melokwu (Clearing agent)
I believe that ANLCA is on the right tracks with the able leadership of Alhaji Olayiwola Shittu; the days of crises are over and it is now a new dawn for the association, I believe all that we need now is intensive training of all our members starting right from the chapter executives so that they can be versed especially on constitutional and customs procedures.
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