Strong indications emerged that the one-year rift among some national executive committee members and chapter executive of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents ANLCA is now over, as over 12 of these executive members suspended at the wake of the rift were yesterday recalled.

It would be recalled that the National Executive Committee NEC of the association had during its emergency Extra-Ordinary General Meeting EGM held in Abuja December 17, last year announced the suspension of the executives over anti-association behaviours, many of who are from the Western Region and appointed interim caretaker committee members to man the vacant positions created by the suspension

The NEC in its meeting held in Lagos Monday and presided over by its chairman and National President of the association, Hon. Tony Iju Nwabunike unanimously endorsed the lifting of the suspension, which many members believe has heralded the return of peace to the association.

It was gathered that the lifting of the suspension of the embattled executive members followed peace moves by the National President to reconcile all aggrieved members, having earlier met with member of the Board of Trustees BOT to pave way for peace to return to the association.

Investigations also showed that the NEC further approved the setting up of a seven-man committee to compile all challenges including administrative and operational faced by members in carrying out their normal professional assignments with a view to restoring the association’s enviable position as the leading freight forwarding and licensed customs agents’ body in Nigeria’s maritime industry.

The committee was given two weeks to submit its report when another NEC is slated to hold to consider the report.

The National President had while speaking on why the NEC was convened, said there was need to reconcile all members who have been in one form of disagreement or the other in the last one year.

He said: “Truly, we had crisis that could crack the strongest of pillars, but we did not allow it to degenerate because to us, ANLCA comes first before other considerations. Kudos to ANLCA elders, the BOT members and all those whose advise sustained us thus far.

“The need for us to forge ahead in peace and unity cannot be overemphasised. As a matter of fact, the operational challenges we are experiencing in our sea, airports and landborders are unprecedented, in fact overwhelming. I have never seen that in my over 30 years as a Customs Broker. So it is in our best interest to pursue the path of peace and unity to fight our common cause and possess our possessions.

“In the spirit of the reconciliation and total forgiveness, I want us to review some of the far reaching decisions taken at the NEC meeting of December 17, 2018 as they concern the suspension of some members of NECOM, chapter executives and committees. So in the exercise of the powers vested on NEC in section 5 (3) (k) of the amended supreme constitution of ANLCA, 2013; I hereby request for the consideration of NEC for the lifting of the suspension placed on the national officer, chapter executives and committee members under suspension.”

He further asked for the approval of NEC to set up a special committee that will look into administrative and operational challenges of ANLCA members, saying “our hands are full yet we have limited time. We should be moving at full speed. So there is need to have another NEC in two weeks”