The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has finally pledged to support the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) in its bid to commence the collection of the Practitioners’ Operating Fee (POF).
It will be recalled that several attempts by CRFFN management to commence collection of the said fee were truncated by ANLCA which seemed not to be comfortable with the sharing formula proposed by the CRFFN especially as it had to do with who a declarant is.
Rising from its National Executive Meeting held in Lagos yesterday, ANLCA stated that it was now ready to support the council to commence the collection.
According to a press release sent to this medium by the Senior Special Assistant Media to the National President of ANLCA, Mr. Joe Sanni, the CRFFN Registrar, Sir Mike Jukwe was on hand to brief members of ANLCA NEC on the outcome of the meeting between the Minister of Transportation, Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and the leaderships of the freight forwarding associations at Abuja last month.
“Present, on invitation and in execution of a section of the CRFFN Act 16 of 2007, was the Registrar of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria- Sir Mike Jukwe, accompanied by a female director of CRFFN.
“Sir Mike Jukwe briefed members of NEC- comprising all National executive Committee, BOT members, Zonal and chapters’ executives and National committees members- on the outcome of the meeting called by the Hon. Minister of Transportation with freight forwarding associations on 11/10/2016 in Abuja, and the decision to restrict access to the ports, the collection of Practitioners Operating Fee (POF), implementation of section 19(1 & 2) of the CRFFN Act and updating of CRFFN membership records, with effect from 17th of January 2017”, Sanni said.
He recalled that some members pointed out areas of misgivings in the relationship between ANLCA and CRFFN adding that members emphasised that before collection of POF starts, the Governing Board of CRFFN must be in place and the modalities to achieve that should be made public.
The SSA Media observed that while Jukwe assured ANLCA that as a Knight of the Catholic Church, he would always stand by the truth and justice, the Registrar however promised that the governing council will be in place 90 days after the commencement of the POF collection.
“ANLCA pledges to withdraw pending cases against CRFFN in court, on condition that practical structures (gazette of FGN) are put in place, in furtherance of the decisions taken at the headquarters of the Federal Ministry of Transportation, Abuja on the 11th of October 2016.
“On the missing names of some practitioners on the subsisting list of CRFFN gazette, the Registrar promised to rectify the problem in the next gazette – which is a sub-legislation instrument, due to be published soon”, he said.
He further disclosed that the National President of ANLCA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu announced the dissolution of all Adhoc/Standing National Committees except the one on Constitution Review headed by the chairman of Seme Border Chapter, Barr. Lasisi Bisiriyu Fanu.
In his words,”Of particular note is the Association Electoral Commission (ASECO) headed by Alhaji Mukaila Babatunde Abdulazeez, whose erstwhile ASECO work was palpably appreciated and loudly applauded by all members present, in recognition of a job well done in its over six years tenure. Alhaji Mukaila Abdulazeez was retained as the chairman of the Biometrics/Directory Projects committee. The secretary of the committee is Gideon Nwagbaraocha.
“Other appointments by the National President were: Pius Ujubuonu- SSA to the National President on Shipping Companies and Terminal operations; Comrade Aloy Anokwuru- SSA2NP on Revenue Generation; Alhaji Dele Azeez- remains as coordinator of the West African Customs Brokers Association, with projected headquarters as Nigeria/ANLCA; Dr Obicee Okonkwo- the immediate past National Publicity Secretary, now appointed Director of Publicity and to work with the National Publicity Secretary- Dr. Kayode Farinto.
“New ASECO inaugurated- The Secretary of the BOT- Prince Taiye Micheal Oyeniyi announced a list of 7 names as members of the newly constituted ASECO in accordance with provisions of the supreme constitution of ANLCA 2008 (as amended).
“They are Barr. Raymond Oyimba Enekwechi (chairman) Ashiwaju Bolade Lawrence Oladipo- PSO2NP, as the secretary. Others are Segun Alabi, Solomon Nnamocha, Dom Obi, Femi Anifowose and Kasali Salami”.
Sanni informed that the new ASECO members were immediately sworn in by the National President, after the names were adopted by NEC through a motion moved and supported.
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