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Freight Monitor

Irate Customs brokers ground operations at KLT terminal

Mr Kennedy Ikechukwu, the deceased
Eyewitness reporter
The KLT Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has shut down Phase 2 of the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal operated by Joatelim Logistics Limited over its alleged gross negligence which led to the death of an ANLCA member, Mr Kennedy Ikechukwu.
Chairman of the chapter, Comrade Goddy Sewa Soleji, told newsmen on Wednesday that 46-years old Ikechukwu died on Tuesday inside the terminal while trying to get his container positioned for examination.
The protesting clearing agents had stormed the port on Wednesday morning and shut down the administrative office of the terminal operator, while the terminal had been shut since Tuesday evening.
Comrade Soleji, while calming the frayed nerves of the agents, however, instructed that the administrative office of the terminal operator should be opened pending the conclusion of negotiations between the family of the deceased and the terminal operators.
Indications however revealed that the terminal is still under lock and key as at the time of filing this report due to the fact that the deceased family and the Terminal could not conclude their negotiations.
A condolences register has since been opened at the association secretariat for stakeholders.
According to the ANLCA Chairman, Comrade Soleji, the port is supposed to work on a 24-hour basis, hence, reopening the terminal depends solely on the terminal operators’ actions.
After holding meetings with the terminal operators, on Wednesday morning, Comrade Soleji said ANLCA was insisting that the terminal operator should correct its operational lapses, which includes lack of adequate equipment and a good working environment for customers.
According to him, the challenges which the agents were facing at the Joatelim Terminal have been reported to Nigerian Shippers Council, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerian Police on several occasions but he said there was no deliberate action taken.
Soleji further alleged that the same challenge of lack of equipment and poor working environment is being faced at all terminals under the KLT Port due to lack of government regulation.
“What happened yesterday was uncalled for, because it was something that we have been complaining about
“What happened is that due to poor handling, the crane hit the victim, and stepped on him to the extent that, from the chest down, his intestines burst out, it was ugly, the way we all felt yesterday was not good at all, it was a terrible incident”
“On several occasions, we have written to the management of Joatelim Logistics Limited to improve on their operations, in terms of pavement of the terminal floors, to acquire more plants (cargo handling equipment) for efficient service delivery for importers and agents, and also to improve their manpower
“The issue of booking of containers for examination, agents are not supposed to go into the terminal to position containers or pursue the plants that would handle the container
“That’s an analogue way of working that we have dumped two decades ago when NPA was in charge of the ports. In other terminals, agents do not have to go and position containers”
The remains of the dead clearing agent have been deposited at the Naval hospital at Boundary, Ajegunle. He was confirmed dead on arrival, and a death certificate has been issued to the family.
Kennedy Ikechukwu A.K.A Skiibo was a 46-years old bachelor from Owerri in Imo State.
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Freight Monitor

ANLCA in a make-or-break NEC meeting.

Emenike Nwekeoji , ANLCA President
The Eyewitness Reporter 
After much pressure and political horse-trading, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) will belatedly hold its National Executive Committee(NEC) meeting on Friday, April 26th, 2024 at its National Secretariat in Lagos.
According to the agenda of the meeting, there are two matters slated for discussion.
These include the election into the Board of Trustees(BOT) of the association and the reconstitution of the Association Electoral Commission(ASECO) following the managed resignation of the former ASECO chairman, Chief Alloy Nze Igwe.
However, concerned stakeholders in the association told our reporter that the decisions taken by Chief Emenike Nwekeoji-led NEC at Friday’s meeting would either make and consolidate the graveyard peace in the association or lead to a resurgence of crisis and litany of litigations.
Our reporter gathered that the reconstituted ASECO, whose new  Chairman and Secretary will be unveiled at Friday’s meeting, may likely spark off a fresh crisis due to the coloration, qualification and affinity of the chosen members as well as the manner they emerged.
All eyes are therefore on the President of the association, Chief Emenike Nwekeoji, and the BOT Chairman, Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha, who are accused of being in an unholy alliance with other older members of the association to undermine the peace accord that ushered in the graveyard peace in the association through the choice of the reconstituted ASECO membership.
“The outcome of Friday’s meeting will decide the direction of ANLCA, whether to return to the trenches or consolidate on the new found fragile peace in the association,” a high-ranking member of ANLCA said.
 
” The frailty of the peace in ANLCA will be put to test tomorrow(Friday)” another member declared. 
 
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Freight Monitor

Fresh cracks in ANLCA widens as Emeka Igwe tackles Mustapha, accuses him of being an interloper

“As a leader, I mustn’t be the one to truncate the peace in ANLCA–Mustapha
The Eyewitness Reporter
The new vista of crisis in the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents(ANLCA), sparked off by the sudden resignation of Nze Aloy Emeka Igwe as the chairman of the Association Election Committee (ASECO), seems to be festering.
The resumed hostilities in the association, six months after a fragile peace was brokered following the factionalized elections in September, are assuming a new dimension as Emeka Igwe had pointedly accused Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of ANLCA, of stoking the fresh crisis.
In his expanded reasons for his resignation, Igwe said he had to leave when the atmosphere was becoming suffocating and toxic.
He accused Mustapha of behaving like a tin god in ANLCA by virtue of his position as the BOT chairman, wilfully usurping the powers of the President of the association.
In an apparent response to the allegation of lack of accountability leveled by Mustapha against the former ASECO Chairman, Emeka Igwe said the BOT Chairman lied in a bid to frustrate him out as ASECO Chairman to pursue his personal political agenda.
“My resignation as ASECO Chairman is as a result of the suffocating foul air in the association.
“The BOT Chairman thinks he is the law and order in ANLCA.
“He does not obey simple rules, he does not understand the provision of the ANLCA Constitution as concerns BOT.
“He does not understand how the association should be run. He is hell-bent on usurping powers he does not have.
” His attitude is annoying and that was why I quietly decided to leave without making noise about it.
” Unfortunately, he thinks that the best way to harm me is to bring allegation that I did not render an account of my stewardship as ASECO Chairman” the former ASECO Chairman thundered.
Igwe accused Mustapha of attempting to perpetuate himself as the BOT Chairman as he was afraid to face free and fear elections which ASECO under his leadership will conduct, hence his(Mustapha) political maneuvering to ease him out.
“It is important to state that at a meeting supervised by the regulatory body – CRFFN at Eko Hotels that 8 members of BOT, 4 from each faction and 8 members of ASECO, 4 members from each faction were appointed.
” The arrangement was for ASECO to organize the NECOM election first and the BOT election a month after.
“But after the NECOM election, it seems that some BOT members are afraid to face AGM for election.
” They, especially the Chairman, have been playing games and tinkering with the idea of dissolving ASECO which was appointed just like them.
“He has no such powers. The arrangement was not for BOT to remain there in perpetuity. They were not elected.
“Mustapha’s fear is understandable because if the level of transparency and fairness exhibited at the NECOM election last September is applied, someone like him won’t return elected.
“The overwhelming majority of ANLCA members and even his colleagues are sick of his penchant to act as if he is the National President.
“So he is desirous to put a Chairman of ASECO that will return him elected and if you don’t like it… Go to Court” Igwe alleged.
He further alleged that the BOT Chairman, who he said is less than 10 years in ANLCA, thrives and feeds on crisis.
“Alhaji Mustapha is less than 10 years in ANLCA and he has refused to learn the ropes.
“He feasts on crisis and whenever there seems to be peace, he creates crisis.
“I decided to leave and I submitted my resignation letter quietly without involving anyone or the Press and NECOM accepted my resignation, thanked me for my services and wished me well in future endeavours.
” But Mustapha took it from there and brought false allegations against me.
“It is clear that the problem we have in ANLCA is Alhaji Mustapha because ever since he joined BOT, he has stuck to the Chairmanship position as if his life depended on it.
” You can see that he is the one throwing evil narrative to the public because he knows that his continued Chairmanship of BOT is illegal and the only way he can sustain that is to create a crisis and that was basically why I resigned.
“The man feeds on crisis and this crisis he has regenerated, let’s hope ANLCA will come out of it stronger.
” I don’t think that stakeholders will fold their hands and watch a greenhorn who knows very little about ANLCA to bring the Association to ruin and disrepute” the former ASECO Chairman declared.
He however put a lie to the narrative made by Mustapha that he, Igwe, as the chairman of ASECO, failed to render account of his stewardship.
The BOT Chairman had accused the former ASECO Chairman of ignoring several calls for accountability.
But in a swift reaction in his statement titled ” The Evil Narrative In The Eyes Of Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha”, Igwe said Mustapha’s allegation is tantamount to giving a dog a bad name to hang it.
“My attention has been drawn to a publication of an online outlet wherein the BOT Chairman of ANLCA alleged that I failed to give a report/account of the NECOM election of September 2023.
“The allegation is totally false and should be disregarded by the general public. I will come back to that shortly.
“The allegation that evil narrative was thrown at journalist presumably by me is equally false and unfounded.
“My resignation letter was addressed to the National President of ANLCA in the form of an internal memo.
“It was not released to the press and up till this moment I have not spoken to any journalist.
“It is NECOM that chose to accept my resignation letter in the form of a Press Statement in which they equally released my resignation letter to the public.
“The challenge ASECO had was various postponements that affected logistics hence the supplementary budget.
” Having said that, immediately after the inauguration of the new NECOM on 23rd November 2023, we met and reconciled the account which we submitted alongside the report to the National President and copied the BOT.
“So the account Alhaji Mustapha claimed we did not submit should be with him.
“The National Secretary received and acknowledged our report on behalf of NECOM.
” The acknowledged copy is hereby attached for our perusal.
“Record of all expenses as disbursed to each ASECO member and the purpose for the disbursement are fully captured and attached to the report.
“All members of ASECO consented to the report.
“Moreover, the budget for election and supplementary budget therein was sent to BOT which they exhaustively scrutinised and approved before releasing funds to ASECO.
“We religiously adhered to the budget. Hence our report is in compliance and fulfillment of our adherence to due diligence and accountability.
“Being ASECO Chairman was not a job I jumped to. Stakeholders wanted me to be there because they were convinced that I would be neutral, fair and just to all irrespective of faction or divide as it then was in ANLCA.
” I rose from the ranks in ANLCA, from Chapter EXCO member to Vice Chairman and eventually the Chairman of MMA Cargo Chapter.
” My antecedents are there, my impact on the association is well known to all.
“The contribution of my Chapter under my watch to the acquisition of the National Secretariat is still fresh in the memory of my professional colleagues” Igwe explained.
When contacted, Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha said he had worked tirelessly for the peace which the ANLCA is now enjoying and will not be the one to truncate it.
He however said he would not banter words with anyone in this issue and to his, as far as he was concerned, the matter is closed.
 “I have worked hard along with good-spirited individuals in our industry to return ANLCA  back to this peaceful level.
“As a leader, I mustn’t be the one to truncate the same peace.
” I have received a lot of misleading stories about me in the past when the crisis was on.
“So I will never react on this one. All I know is that I have no reason to twist any story or lie against any of our members.
” So I apologise to our members who feel threatened by this new development.
” I can assure you ANLCA is not going back to the dungeon. We will not allow the fifth columnists to derail us.

” The booby trap has been detonated. I appeal to journalists to be more professionals. So that chapter is closed”, the ANLCA BOT Chairman concluded with a note of finality.

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Freight Monitor

ANLCA cracks

Emenike Nwekeoji , ANLCA President
–ASECO chair resigns, cites internal pressure, backbiting, distrust
— insurrection at MMIA chapter as coup against chairman foiled 
The Eyewitness Reporter
Six months after the highly factionalized elections which brought in the duo of Emenike Nwekeoji and Olusegun Oduntan as the National President and Vice President respectively of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) in September 2023, the graveyard peace which heralded the pyrrhic victory seems to have ruptured.
The fragile peace, which was the fallout of the five years of bitter and intractable war that sent the oldest freight forwarding association to a state of inertia, now seems to have given way to distrust, bickering, animosity, suspicion and repressed anger among the top echelon of the association.
To underline the smouldering fresh crisis that has hit the association, Nze Aloy Emeka Igwe, the Chairman of the Association Elections Committee(ASECO )of ANLCA, has resigned his appointment.
In his letter of resignation dated 27th, February 2024 and addressed to the National President, Emenike Nwekeoji, Igwe, in a voice laden with regret and bitterness, cited extraneous influence, backbiting, under current and lack of trust” as the reasons why he called it quit.
“ASECO as presently constituted depicts a divided house due to the extraneous influence and pressure.
” The under current, the backbiting and lack of trust within and without ASECO have caused me to review my membership and chairmanship of the committee.
“I have deeply addressed my thoughts to this, consulted my family, friends and associates and decided that my time with ASECO is irreversibly over.
“There is no energy, no motivation left in me to continue to work under the prevailing regrettable circumstances” Igwe bemoaned.
A few days after the resignation of the highly traumatized ASECO chairman, a coup was played out at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport chapter of the association where one Chief Bola Ashiru Balogun, one of the defeated candidates of the chapter elections staged an unsuccessful coup to unseat the incumbent chairman, Bangbala Adewusi, Monday, March 4th,2024.
In a commando-like style, Chief Bola Balogun came into the Chairman’s office with officers of the Police Force from the Zonal Headquarters, Zone 2, Onikan.
According to an eyewitness account, on the strength of a petition of threat to Life against the Chairman, the Chairman, Chief Adewusi followed them to the Zonal Headquarters
“While the Chairman was away to Zone 2, Chief Bola Balogun allegedly came with hoodlums and area boys to forcefully break into the office of the Chairman and seize power forcefully on the strength of a May 2023 court judgement, which has been appealed and is currently being heard by the Appeal Court”
However, the attempt to unseat Chief Adewusi, who sources said was an unpopular chairman foisted  on the chapter by the cabal in ANLCA, was thwarted by members of the Task Force, led by the CSO, Mr. Maxwell Onyemachi, and other well-meaning members of the chapter loyal to the embattled chairman.
However, the last is yet to be head of the failed coup at the MMIA chapter as a group loyal to Chief Ashiru Balogun has promised to relaunch the attack on the Chairman, Chief Adewusi who they regarded as a puppet of the cabal in the association.
Stakeholders feared that the recent happening in the association may have signaled the slide of ANLCA back to another round of crisis which has ravaged the war-weary group for five years before its graveyard peace that is now shortlived.
The ANLCA President, Emenike Nwekeoji, through the Sectary of the Association, Olumide Fakanlu, “has graciously accepted the resignation letter of the highly embittered ASECO chairman.
In his acceptance letter dated March 1st, 2024 and signed by Fakanlu, the ANLCA President said the letter was received with mixed feelings but nonetheless, it was graciously accepted while wishing Emeka Igwe well in his future endeavours, thus signaling the resumption of hostilities in the acclaimed oldest freight forwarding Association in Nigeria’s maritime industry
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