The Alliance of ANLCA, Western Zone, a faction from the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has decried the lingering crisis in the association.
Dr John Ofobike, the group’s Leader, said at a news conference in Lagos on Monday that the crisis was affecting their operations.
It would be recalled that after the elections that brought Mr Tony Nwabunike into power in March 2018, the ANLCA Board Of Trustee (BOT) was thrown into a leadership crisis with two members, Henry Njokwu and Taiwo Mustapha, laying claim to the position.
The nine chapters in the Western Zone have, however, declared support for the Taiwo Mustapha led faction of ANLCA.
Mustapha repeatedly defeated Henry Njokwu by three votes to clinch the position of chairmanship of the board at an election held in April 2018.
Ofobike called on the BOT to appoint or provide leadership in the suspended positions at the national and zonal levels.
He added that the crisis in the association had resulted to the suspension of the National Executive Council by the court, and all were asked to stop parading themselves as executives.
Ofobike said it was unfortunate that some leaders who had compromised still go to the terminal operators and shipping companies.
He noted that the lingering crisis if not resolved would present the association as irresponsible group in the eyes of the public.
Ofobike said that it would stem the tide of despondence among members.
He, however, urged government to tackle multiple charges from terminal operators and shipping companies that operate in the port.
“There are do’s and dont’s in all operations, the moment you go against the law, the law takes its course.
“The regulators of these shipping companies are the government and ANLCA as a pressure group will raise its voice and tell the authority all the ills that are being committed by them.
“The duty of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council is to regulate and protect the Nigerian shippers, so they are the ones to implement and regulate the laws to ensure sanity,” he said.
Ofobike said that the country was battling a lot of challenges and the group would not compound government’s problem with picketing or demonstration.
On the issue of multiple charges, he said that they had written to the regulators of the shipping companies, gone to court to challenge all these ills but the problem was that the judicial system was slow, though effective.
“The people that are meant to regulate them should perform their duties, we have done our part, and we cannot take laws into our hands.
“My appeal to everyone is to be calm, at the end of the whole issue, it will come to pass.
“We will stand with the motor of ANLCA which is to defend the less privileged within the industry,” NAN.
