BY FRANCIS EZEM

The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents ANLCA has sworn that it would leave no stone unturned in ensuring a total compliance with the sack of some Western Zonal Executives comprising the Zonal Coordinator and some chapter chairman men.

Recall that the National Executive Council NECOM, the highest decision making organ of the association had in its second meeting for 2018-2022 held Monday in Abuja, sacked the Zonal Coordinator of the Western Zone, John Ofobike and six other chapter chairmen. The sack was in reaction to their purported removal of the national leadership of the association led by Tony Iju Nwabunike and purportedly installed Emenike Nwokeoji, former vice president, who was defeated by the incumbent National President in the March 2018 election.

Vice President of the Association, Dr. Kayode Farinto, who spoke with newsmen shortly after a meeting with members of the association to officially brief them on the outcome of the NECOM meeting Thursday in Lagos, insisted that the suspension order was irrevocable, as the association will apply all legal and legitimate means to enforce compliance in order to protect the sanctity and integrity of the association’s constitution.

According to him, the association may decide to write the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Maritime, DIG Alkali or the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi or both, saying that the newly appointed administrators have been issued with Letters of engagement, which is a symbol of authority for the new administrators

It was further gathered that the leadership of the association is planning to visit the Customs Area Controllers at the various chapters affected by the sack such as Apapa, Tin Can Island Port, Ports Multiservices Terminal Limited PTML, Kirikiri Lighter Terminal KLT and Seme Border to formally introduce the newly appointed administrators as the true representatives of the association.

“Many members of ANLCA are suffering out there on the field in the face of harsh operating environment. Some former chapter chairman have become charlatans, they even defend some of the inhuman treatment imposed on their members by some Customs officers and so we are sending these new administrators to go and resolve all these outstanding issues and give a sense of belonging to these members”, the Vice President said emphatically.

In addition to the sack of the leadership of the Western Zone’s executives, the Vice President also disclosed that five members of the Board of Trustee BOT, who he described as dishonourable have been penciled down for various forms of punishments ranging from withdrawing their privileges as former board members for participating in the infamous installation of a parallel government.

Investigations showed that one of the fallouts of the NECOM meeting was the decision of the association to compel one of the board members, Taye Oyeniyi to refund undisclosed sums of money given to him to register the BOT, which he failed to do and is yet to refund. Oyeniyi was alleged to have locked the association’s secretariat located at Amowo Odofin area of Lagos while the NECOM meeting was holding in Abuja.

Members of the NECOM comprising the zonal and chapter executives present had unanimously condemned the action of the sacked former executives and have sworn to uphold and defend the association’s constitution and pledged total loyalty to the Tony Iju Nwabunike-led leadership of the association.

On the issue of the crisis over the tenure of the current chairman of the Board of Trustees BOT, Chief Henry Njoku, the NECOM agreed that another election would be held some time in 2019 when his tenure is expected to elapse, having been elected at the last National Executive Council NEC meeting organised by the immediate past president of the association, Prince Olayiwola Shittu in Port Harcourt in 2017.