Barely a month the Iju Tony Nwabunike’s led Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) successfully conducted Chapters election into the Eastern Zone Chapters of Onne port, Calabar port, Port Harcourt Area 1, Onne Oil & Gas, Port Harcourt Airport and Calabar port, the association has recorded another feat by conducting elections into four chapters in the Western zone.
The election which was conducted yesterday 16th, February 2021 saw four chapters in the Western Zone , namely, the premier port of Apapa , Tin Can Island port, PTML and KLT electing their new chapter Executives to run the affairs of the association in the next four years.
At the end of the contest the following candidates emerges as winners. In Apapa port, Chief Sylvester Budu , Chairman, Kayode Jejelaye, Vice Chairman, Razak Ishola, Secretary and Lawrence Uba, Assistant Secretary.
Others are Nnammocha Joseph, Financial Secretary, Hakeem Olodan, Treasurer and Emeka Mbachu, Public Relations Officer (PRO).
At the Tin Can Island Chapter, Ojo Peters Akintoye emerges as the Chairman, Sonniel Ebonyem Onochie, Vice Chairman, Nzeribe Ebere, Secretary and Abdulazeez Obafemi Hakeem, Assistant Secretary. Others are Olawale Cole, Treasurer, Waisiu Bunmi Osinowo, Financial Secretary and Onome A. Joy as Public Relations Officer ( PRO).
The Port and Terminal Multipurpose Limited (PTML) elected Otunba Sunday Oyebola as their Chairman, Alhaji Lameen Muse as Vice Chairman and Chijioke Daniel as Secretary.
While at the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT), Esther Oluwatoyin Oyeleke was elected as Chairman, making her the first female chapter chairman in the Western Zone of ANLCA.
Presenting the certificate of returns to the winners in accordance with the ANLCA Supreme Constitution at the System Place Hotel in Lagos, National President Iju Tony Nwabunike enjoined the newly elected chapter executives in Western Zone to educate importers on compliance as according to him Customs Brokers are in a better position to educate and remind importers on the provisions of import prohibition list.
He said Customs Brokers have had cause to indemnify importers who breached the guidelines thereby bearing their risks when actually the brokers never knew true contents of imported cargoes. The president further charged the newly elected officials to sensitise their members on the need to be honest in their declarations and uphold the attribute of integrity at all times.
“I congratulate you on your victory and urge you to see your new positions as a call to service to humanity through our great association. I applaud your spirit of sportsmanship in the election and enjoin all chapter members and government agencies to cooperate with you.
“Importers are critical stakeholders whose business activities gets us engaged and make our ports productive. As customs brokers interfacing with the Nigeria Customs Service and importers, I urge you to devote time in educating importers on government import prohibition list and items restricted from access to foreign exchange.
“Don’t see compliance as a mere mantra, it should be your guiding principle at all times to save you time, cost and earn your integrity credits for future incentives like fast track.
“Always keep touch with the national secretariat for guidance and enhanced communication . Please be law abiding in all you do as we all have a collective responsibility of mentoring younger persons that will advance the cause of our profession
Nwabunike further charged them to carry on their chapters obligations effectively and within the ambit of the law, without fear of anything and intimate them to always fall back on the National Executive Council for any challenges they may face.
In the last one year despite the crises instigated by aggrieved members of the association, the present leadership has been able to conduct eleven chapters election, two in the Northern zone, five in the Eastern zone and four in the Western zone, with the promise to finish the remaining chapters in the Western zone very soon.
It could be recalled that the ANLCA successfully Conducted one of the best Annual Genera Meeting (AGM) in the history of the association last year December to elect his new Board of Trustees (BOT) members.
The event which was held in Owerri, Imo State, attracted the attendance of the Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma and his deputy .
