Headlines
Eastern shippers, freight forwarders on collision course with Shippers’ Council over increase in haulage rate
” These measures are also expected to help all parties to reach a benchmark that would be in the interest of all stakeholders in the maritime value chain,” Ahuama noted.
“We also urge the NSC to return to the status quo by suspending the implementation of the disputed rate, pending proper renegotiation covering the interest of all stakeholders.
“We are not on a selfish course. Our demands are in the interest of Nigerians because any slight increase in the haulage rate will reflect on the prices of goods in the open market.
However, the group said they might be constrained to take drastic measures, including suspending all declarations of goods and payments of customs duties, which could negatively affect national revenue and economic output.
Some members of the import and export associations present at the meeting included the Nigeria Shippers Association, the Aba International Traders Association, the Ultimate Importers Association, the POP Importers Association, the Nnewi Importers Association, and the Onitsha Importers Association.
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Freight Monitor
Fresh crisis brews in ANLCA
—as angry members walk out of NEC meeting over imposition of strange characters on ASECO.
— aggrieved members may seek redress in court— Ozo Chukwura
The Eyewitness Reporter
The fragile peace that has existed in the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) since the eight months administration of Chief Emenike Nwekeoji, the National President of the association, may be ruptured and return the war-weary group to a resurgence of fresh crisis.
Ironically, the unilateral decisions made by Chief Emenike at the recently held National Executive Committee (NEC)meeting of the association have sparked outrage and may return the aggrieved members to the trenches.
It could be recalled that the President of ANLCA, Chief Emenke, had called the NEC meeting of the association on April 26th, 2024 to discuss two matters listed on the agenda, which included the reconstitution of the Association Electoral Committee (ASECO) after the unceremonious resignation of its Chairman, Chief Alloy Eze and election into the Board of Trustees (BOT) of the association.
However, Prince Ozo Chukwura, the Vice Chairman of the association’s BOT, who was present at the meeting, told our reporter that the NEC meeting was stalemated.
“The meeting was inconclusive. It was stalemated as aggrieved members walked out in anger over the unilateral decision of Emenike to bring in two unqualified members and impose them on ASECO as members against the wish of BOT members and other attendees” Prince Ozo Chukwura disclosed.
According to him, the sign that Emenike had a hidden agenda first emerged when the meeting, which was slated for 1 0’clock didn’t start until around 4: 25 pm as some members, who had gone to have another clandestine meeting elsewhere came in late and briefed the president before the NEC meeting started.
“After a long epistle of a welcome address in which he tried to prepare the minds of those in attendance for his hidden agenda, Emenike announced the names of two strange characters who by no means are not qualified as members of ASECO to join the original six members.”
” We all in unison rejected the choice and objected to the strange practice by Mr. President as the supreme constitution of ANLCA only empowers the BOT members to appoint ASECO members and submit their names to NEC and not NECOM for ratification”
” We were therefore surprised at the decision of the President to appoint ASECO members.” But Emenike told us he derived his powers to set up ASECO members from section 25 of the 2013 constitution.
” However, he insisted and maintained its position to bring in these two strange characters who he apparently wanted to do his biddings as ASECO members.”Curiously, he wanted to make one of them, one Francis Itua, who clearly did not qualify as his practicing licence is not more than four months as against the stipulated five to 10 years, to become the chairman of the ASECO while the second person, Abayomi Ajibola, whom I didn’t recognize, is slated for the position of Secretary.
“However, in order to give peace a chance, we gave the President option B, which was to retain the former six members without bringing in other persons while he was given the opportunity of appointing the chairman and secretary among them”
“This was despite the vehement protest of the Chairman of the Western Zone, Mr Femi Anifowose.” At this point, most attendees, including myself, walked out of the venue of the meeting, surprised at the despotic attitude of the President.
” I distance myself from the unilateral decisions of Mr President which to me is a recipe for anarchy and chaos in the association.”If not rescinded, it could lead to a resurgence of litigations by aggrieved members who are at liberty to approach the courts to seek redress” the ANLCA chieftain warned.
Prince Chukwura bemoaned the arrogant attitude of Emenike since he emerged in what he described as highly compromised election as he behaves like a demi-god.
He raised the alarm that the administration of Emenike has jettisoned the role and conditions of peace facilitated by the Customs Consultative Council(CCC) which helped to broker peace that gave way to the election that brought him in as President.
He revealed that they went as far as reporting the CCC to the CGC.
Goaded by Chief Elochukwu who said that the association has no need for CCC again as they can no longer dictate to them, the Emenike Nwekeoji-led administration has completely desecrated the terms and conditions of the peace deal brokered by the CCC.”
” During the peace arrangement facilitated by the CCC, it was agreed that since the Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha -faction has taken the chairmanship of the BOT, the presidency should be zoned to the Farinto faction.
“But they quickly brought in Emenike from nowhere to contest the election against our candidate and he won.
“We allow this breach of agreement to slide for peace’s sake.”Also, it was decided that ASECO should be constituted with eight members, four from each faction while the Farinto faction should produce the chairman.
“No sooner did Alloy Anakwuru become the chairman, than he died.
“Our replacement in the person of Emeka Igwe was eventually frustrated to resign.”He was never allowed to work as a series of allegations and accusations were thrown at him until he was forced to resign.
“This is the bone of contention and a sure way to return the association to the much-avoided crisis” Prince Ozo Chukwura disclosed.” We have overlooked so much of their excesses and desecration of the peace agreement to allow peace to reign.
“They allowed people who were not qualified to vote, people who have not contributed anything to the association, they were given a waiver to vote while our people were disenfranchised.”Though we protested, the CCC asked us to give peace a chance and we did.
“But now they want to overreach themselves and reopen the old wounds which we shall revisit if need be” the ANLCA chieftain warned.
He also lamented that all his entreaties to the ANLCA President to reconcile all the aggrieved members were ignored. Prince Ozo Chukwura however advised Emenike and his lieutenants to work towards peace in ANLCA as his current action is capable of flitering away the little gains achieved during the period of fragile peace in the association.
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