The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has rejected the one hundred thousand Naira (N100,000.00) donated to it by the leadership of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) to cushion the effect of the Covid-19 lockdown on members of the association.
The National President of ANLCA, Chief Iju Tony Nwabunike who disclosed this in a statement he personally signed and issued in Lagos yesterday said that while appreciating the magnanimity of NAGAFF to make the donation at this critical time, they asked that the amount donated to ANLCA be ploughed back into NAGAFF in helping to achieve a befitting operating environment for it and its operatives.
Nwabunike noted that without sounding immodest, ANLCA was at the forefront of supporting the less privileged at their individual and corporate levels without making a show of it as such could puncture the dignity and self-esteem of the receivers.
He said, “We in ANLCA as a body of notable individuals in the customs brokerage and freight forwarding profession have stepped up giving to persons in and outside of the maritime industry without making a media show or hype of it.
“I must say, we have not stopped giving because we owe humanity and our immediate society some degree of charity. We do this in the consciousness that our creator who sees our works of charity, done in secret, will reward us in the open on this earth and world hereafter.
“Whereas you did announce in your statement that the listed beneficiaries of your donation should contact “the undersigned”, don’t expect the federal and Lagos state governments to contact you because they are engrossed in managing effect of the pandemic and containing its spread. Like many donor organization and individuals are doing, please move forward to the governments and make you donations to them. Don’t wait for them to come to you.”
NAGAFF had on Monday announced cash donations to the federal government, Lagos State government, ANLCA, media groups among others as part of its contribution to fight against the Coronavirus pandemic and to cushion the effect of the lockdown of Lagos state, Ogun and FCT by President Muhammadu Buhari as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
The breakdown of the donations is as follows; Federal Government Covid-19 Task Force – N500,000, Lagos State Government – N350,000, NCMDLCA – N50,000, MARAN – N50,000, AMJON – N50,000, NAGAFF Seme Chapter – N50,000, NAGAFF Jibiya Border – N50,000, League of Maritime Editors – N50,000, MAJAN – N50,000, NAGAFF Idiroko Chapter – N50,000, ANLCA – N100,000, AREFFN – N50,000 and NAFFAC – N50,000.
The Secretary General of NAGAFF, Dipo Olayoku in a statement conveying the donations recalled that NAGAFF as a non-profit organization driven by professional and industry passion to undertake effective public policy advocacy had in line with its obligation and commitment towards ensuring professional efficiency and wellbeing of the port users across the ports as contained in its status book, extended its CSR to fellow stakeholders.
Olayoku observed that “during the daily and weekly analysis of the situation reports on the port operations under the Covid-19 pandemic aimed at ascertaining and monitoring the compliance level by stakeholders from the Situation Room, today resolved to appreciate the commitment and efforts of the above listed bodies towards their collective efforts against Covid-19 pandemic, thus rolled out palliative incentives to support them.
“The NAGAFF therefore called on all well-meaning critical stakeholders at the port industry to rise to the occasion by deploying its resources towards safeguarding the port and its users to engender the curtailing of the spread of Covid-19 pandemic.
“May we re-emphasize that the fight against the Covid-19 should be a collective effort and that no stone should be left unturned in this regards.”
Photo: ANLCA President, Chief Iju Tony Nwabunike.
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