Freight Monitor

ANLCA BOT sues for peace, offers Mustapha group peace deal to end crisis

Prince Ozo Chukwurah, Vice Chairman ANLCA BOT

—says crisis unnecessary, time, resources wasting

The Eyewitness reporter

The battle-weary Board of Trustees of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents(ANLCA) led by Dr. Taiwo Afolabi, has offered to collaborate and integrate the warring group of Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha into their fold if they are ready to embrace peace.

It could be recalled that the freight forwarding group, reputed to be the oldest freight forwarding association in Nigeria, has been embroiled in a long-drawn battle of supremacy and show of powers between two parallel BOT that were contending for the soul of the association.

This has thrown the association into an energy-sapping crisis for almost five years without any sign of abatement.

However, after rigorous court processes and internal realignments, the hybrid processes of legal and constitutional mechanisms threw up Dr. Afolabi- led BOT as the authentic group whose genuineness was further reaffirmed and reinforced by the reopening and handling of the association’s secretariat to the National Executive Council of the Association led by Tony Iju Nwabunike by the police last week Friday

However, refusing to bask in the seeming victory and get intoxicated by the vindication of its stance as exemplified by the possession of the reopened secretariat, the Afolabi-led BOT has returned no victor, no vanquished verdict but called for the unification of the warring parties for the peace and unity of the war-weary association.

Speaking on Tuesday in Lagos, Price Ozo Chukwurah, the Vice-Chairman of ANLCA BOT declared that the board is ready to bend backward to accommodate the other warring group in order to end this seeming protracted crisis.

According to him, the board was willing to make concessions to the other group to foster the elusive peace in the association.

”This is a new year, I plead and sue for peace, even if it means going down on my knees. I will do everything possible for us to achieve peace.

”We should embrace peace and shun bitterness because time is fast running out.

”I will make a proposal to our board and NECOM so that we can convene an AGM/NEC meeting where the suspension of some members could be reversed and they would be reabsorbed into the association for peace to reign.

”Most of us in the elective positions in the association are on the final lap of our tenure. We need youths to come up and take over.

” Only four people from the Mustapha group are qualified to recontest their positions and they are Dayo Azez, Ernest Elochukwu, Taiwo Mustapha and Dennis Okafor who can join the nine members of Taiwo Afolabi-led board. We need to amend the constitution to accommodate them. This should not be a problem because laws are made for man and not man for the law.

”This is the part of the peace efforts the board is willing to make to ensure that this crisis is resolved and lasting peace is restored back to the ANLCA.

” Even these people I mentioned, some of them don’t have time for the association again because they are heavyweight. They don’t even have enough time for their numerous business interests. So we need to start to groom some capable youths to take over the leadership of the association.

”The second aspect is we should allow all the actions and inactions of Tony Iju to pawn off. Every chapter where he conducted elections should be allowed to serve out its tenure.

”Also, if we come together, the board will allow them to be part of the ASECO that will conduct the next elections.

”They are too big to be ASECO members but they can send in their representatives to the association electoral body.

”We run an inclusive government not by appointment but elections.

”I was elected as a member of the BOT for six years and I have served out two years, remaining four years. I am not willing to resign but intend to serve out my tenure.

” I have supported all the past members who have served on the board, I never called for their sack or resignation before they served out their tenure, including Taye Oyeniyi, until this crisis started.

”Therefore, I am begging everyone concerned to allow peace to reign in the association.

”I am calling on all of them to an enlarged meeting where we all jaw-jaw and not war-war so that we can bring the association back from the brink of collapse to the path of peace.

”No victor, no vanquished. We are all winners in this matter”, the BOT Vice Chairman declared.

He also explained that all the court cases that could have acted as barriers to the peace deals have all been disposed off except one that will be decided in February but which he said have been overtaken by event.

Prince Chukwurah further noted that the only one that could have presented a bit of challenge was the one instituted by Tony Iju Nwabunike when he was attacked by hoodlums loyal to the other group.

He however promised that if the Mustapha group could embrace peace, the BOT will prevail on Nwabunike to withdraw the criminal suit from court to give peace a chance.

”Another criminal case pending was the one where Tony Iju and his group were attacked. We shall look into that and prevail on the complainants to withdraw it if only the other group agrees to embrace peace”

The ANLCA chieftain lamented that the crisis has taken a heavy toll on the association, appealing to all aggrieved parties to sheath their swords and allow peace to reign.

He however claimed that it was only Joe Sanni, the Senior Assistant on Media and Publicity to the immediate past President of ANLCA, Price Olayiwola Shittu, who was profiting from the crisis.

”He is the only one feeding fat on the crisis, hence his intention to continue to fan the ember of discord with his inflammatory statements that are bare-faced lies and falsehood” Ozo alleged.

(Read the full interview Thursday)

Related Topics:ANLCA sues for peace featured

Up Next

Joe Sanni feeding fat on ANLCA crisis —-Prince Ozo Chukurah

Don't Miss

IGP recommends suspension of killer cop ASP Vandi

Click to comment

Freight Monitor

President Buhari to commission multi-billion naira Dala Inland dry port Monday –Ahmad Rabiu

The Eyewitness reporter

All is set for the commissioning of the Dala International inland dry port on Monday 31st January 2023 by President Muhammad Buhari at Zawachiki in Kumbotso local government area of Kano state.

The Managing Director of the international inland dry port Ahmad Rabiu, stated this while addressing newsmen on the preparation for the inauguration of the port at its headquarters in Kano.

Ahmad Rabiu, who was joined by the chairman of the inland dry port, Alhaji Abubakar Sahabu Bawuro, said its the first international inland dry port where cargoes will go anywhere in the world from Kano state without follow up to any sea ports across Nigeria.

Ahmad Rabiu told newsmen that the federal government under President Muhammad Buhari has given all the support required for the take-up, noting that they have met the requirement on infrastructure and other critical amenities.

The MD said the stacking area has the capacity of containing 20 thousand units of containers before moving anywhere at any time, noting that the area covers six hectares of land and the management is willing to add more.

According to Ahmad Rabiu, all the requirements needed for clearance by businessmen, and customs duty will be done right from Kano without follow-up to any seaport in Nigeria.

On his part, the chairman of Dala Inland Dry Port, Alhaji Abubakar Sahabu Bawuro said the management of the port is prepared technically, and physically with interested partners and is going to boost businesses in Kano, Nigeria and Africa in general and urged members of the press to partner with the management in ensuring efficiency, emphasizing that the place is not a monument but a business venture.

The chairman said Dala Inland Dry Port is now a solution to the problems brought about by the seaports and they will introduce cargo tracking and door-to-door delivery of goods and services.

He said the success of the inland dry port is a joint venture between the state government, the business community, regulatory agencies and the Federal Government of Nigeria and to make business in Kano and its neighborhood more competitive.

Freight Monitor

CRFFN rejects re-appointment bid of ousted Sam Nwakohu

Ousted CRFFN Registrar, Nwakohu

— appoints Uromta as Acting Registrar

—-shops for substantive Registrar.

The Eyewitness reporter

The Council for the Registration of Freight forwarding Practice in Nigeria (CRFFN) has thrown out the re-election bid of the outgoing Registrar of the Council, Sam Nwakohu.

In an emergency meeting of the council Thursday at its Abuja liaison office, the Council appointed Mrs. Chinyere Uromta, the Director of Regulations and Enforcement, as an acting Registrar pending the time a substantive registrar will be appointed.

The decision of the council to reject the reelection bid of the ousted Registrar was based on the recommendations of its ad hoc committee to look into the request of Nwakohu for a second term tenure.

The outgoing registrar, last year, at the December meeting of the council, submitted a letter, requesting to be considered for a second term shot at the lucrative position.

Consequently, the Chairman of the Council, Alhaji Abubakar Tsanni set up an ad-hoc committee, headed by Efeanyi Isikaku, to look into the request of Nwakohu and submit its report in two weeks.

“Following the completion of its assignment and submission of its report, the council, therefore, convened today (Thursday)in Abuja to deliberate on the next line of action to be taken in respect of the committee’s recommendations.

” The AdHoc committee made important recommendations with reference to the provisions of Public Service Rules as well as the council’s Act.

“The committee however, recommended that in order to avoid a vacuum after the expiration of the Registrar’s tenure, the council shall start making arrangements for a handover of the Registrar’s office to the most senior management staff of the council.

“Similarly, the committee also recommended that the Appointment Promotion and Discipline committee of the council be directed to start making preparations for reappointment or appointment of substantive Registrar” Muftahu Ya’u, the chairman Committee on Media and Publicity of the governing council, declared in a statement he sent to our reporter.

“Finally, the council’s chairman soon after the adoption, approval, and ratification of the committee’s recommendations by members of the council directed the followings:
that arrangement for the Registrar’s handover to Mrs. Chinyere Uromta Director, Regulations and Enforcement on 31st of January 2023.

“That committee on Appointment Promotion and Discipline go ahead to start preparations for reappointment/appointment of a new Registrar” the head of media and publicity of the council concluded.

It could be recalled that soon after Nwakohu made his ambition known to succeed himself as the Registrar of the council, he went on a lobbying spree, trying to woo the council members to buy into his ambition.

But sources close to the council whispered to our reporter that the second term bid of Nwakohu was dead on arrival due to lots of baggage he carries.

“There was no way he could have succeeded in his obnoxious bid to succeed himself.

Firstly, it was a general consensus among the freight forwarding confraternity that Nwakohu failed woefully as the registrar.

“He is incompetent, arrogant and someone not ready to learn,” a highly placed source said.

“Also, several allegations of financial sleaze against him have not been cleared.

“Similarly, the council members were not happy at the way Nwakohu handled the purchase of the CRFFN Abuja liaison office which cost they felt was inflated.

“All these and other uncharitable behavior of the outgoing registrar are enough reasons not to reappoint him as the Council registrar” the source claimed.

Freight Monitor

CRFFN outgoing Registrar, Sam Nwakohu, lobbies Council for second term in office

Nwakohu

— as he bows out in February.

—-Freight forwarders reject his comeback bid

The Eyewitness reporter

The outgoing Registrar of the Council for the Registration of Freight Forwarding practice in Nigeria (CRFFN), Samuel Nwakohu, is making last minutes efforts to get a second term tenure in office as the head of the freight forwarding regulatory body.

The outgoing Registrar, who was appointed in February 2019, will exit the council in February 2023 after four years in office.

Our reporter gathered exclusively that Nwakohu was not in a hurry to leave office as he has written to the governing council of the regulatory body about his intention to apply for a second term tenure.

At the December meeting of the council in Abuja, the application letter of the outgoing registrar for a second term tenure was read and a committee was raised to look into his request to return.

Confirming the development, Kayode Farinto, a member of the ad-hoc committee on the second term bid of Nwakohu, said the committee was given two weeks to submit its findings to the council which has the statutory rights to make recommendations on the bid of the Registrar to the Minister of Transportation, Engr Muazu Sambo.

However, our reporter gathered that Sam Nwakohu has embarked on intense lobbying of the committee members and other notable stakeholders in the industry in a bid to clinch the second term tenure.

Kayode Farinto however denied knowledge of any lobby tactics of the outgoing Registrar.

‘I am not aware if he is lobbying or not but what I know is that his letter intimating the council on his second term bid was read at our last council meeting where a committee was raised to look into the issue” he said.

It was gathered that the committee had its first meeting Tuesday, January 10th, 2023 at Rockview Hotel, Apapa Lagos where members deliberated on the chances of Nwakohu.

Meanwhile, there was generally a foul mood among freight forwarders against the outgoing Registrar.

They unanimously dismissed the second-term bid of Nwakohu as obscene, unwarranted and an insult to the collective psyche of freight forwarders given what they all agreed was his unmitigated failure.

“He doesn’t merit a second term in office as the registrar of CRFFN. His tenure was an unmitigated disaster. He is arrogant. He doesn’t relate well with the freight forwarders. He is quick to anger. He distanced himself from his immediate constituency” Alhaji Mukaila Abdulaziz declared.

“We need someone who is ready to learn, we need someone who listens to correction, and suggestions without taking offence.

”Personally, I do not want to see him (Sam Nwakohu) return as the Registrar of CRFFN” the ANLCA scribe concluded.

Mr Ojo Akintoye, the ANLCA chapter chairman of the Tin Can Island port spoke in a similar manner.

When he was asked if the outgoing Registrar deserves a return ticket to the office, Akintoye thundered “No, absolutely no”

“What has he achieved in the four years he was there as the Registrar? Absolutely nothing. His impact was not felt in the industry. The industry didn’t feel the impact of the CRFFN during his tenure. Others should be given a chance to prove their mettle” he said.

Prince Olayiwola Shittu, the immediate past President of ANLCA declined to comment, tactically evading the assessment of the outgoing Registrar.

”I don’t want to discuss CRFFN. It is not worth it. Since the time I resigned from the council, the body has lost direction. It has lost its focus. It has become a means of making money for some people.

”Could you imagine that some people, since 2007 when the council started, have been in the council, recycling themselves to make money?

Since the council has lost focus, I have equally lost interest in its affairs” the ANLCA chieftain declared.

Similarly, Prince Ozo Chukurah, the Vice Chairman of ANLCA BOT evaded the request to assess the performance of the outgoing Registrar because” I am no longer in the council”

But indication is rife that the desperate bid of Sam Nwakohu to retain his plum job may not materialise as he was said to have stepped on many toes through what angry stakeholders described as his arrogant posture on issues and little or no knowledge of the industry he is meant to regulate.

This is coupled with the litany of allegations of financial impropriety that dogged his tenure.

He was said to have lived a flamboyant life on the resources of the CRFFN to the chagrin of the council members, some of whom have vowed to block his chances of coming back as the Registrar.

Mr Nwohohu is believed to have proceeded on his terminal leave in December prior to his final disengagement in February 2023 as the de facto Registrar

Sources said his many “sins” he committed in the course of his tenure will likely hurt his chances of coming back.