Crisis: Mass Exodus Looms in ANLCA as Group Floats New Customs Agents Association
* Association of Nigeria Customs Brokers targets ANLCA members
By Francis Ugwoke
Warring leaders of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) may soon have themselves to blame as a new association has concluded arrangements to announce its berth boldly in what is likely to have negative impact on the strength and status of the former in the industry.
Promoters of the association known as Association of Nigeria Customs Brokers – ANCB, SHIPPING DAY gathered believe there cannot be a better time to fully take-off than now with the deep crisis in ANLCA.
Incidentally, the new association with CAC/IT/61351 was registered in 2013, but is taking advantage of the current crisis in ANLCA to come out to stand for younger customs agents who are seen as the direct casualties of the event in the association.
It was gathered that there are some undercurrent moves by the leaders of the new group to ensure that the crisis in ANLCA does not bring doom on the industry.
The leaders are worried that when this happens the victims will mainly be the younger customs agents as against the big ones that are now involved in ANLCA crisis.
In view of this, the promoters of the new association are currently holding meetings aimed at “restructuring and positioning ANCB as an alternate professional association to offer true professional leadership to the customs brokerage family in the freight forwarding sector of the maritime industry”.
A source told SHIPPING DAY, “meetings and consultations are ongoing, while events are being monitored in ANLCA leadership”.
The group, it was gathered is also making underground moves to draw membership from ANLCA as an alternative in view of the unending crisis.
“The ANCB is also planning to hold a major media briefing, where it intends to highlight the professional challenges and posit a way forward.
“Equally, it will also note its readiness and administrative effectiveness to give succour to young customs brokers, who are like wandering sheep without a shepherd within the customs ports.
“Part of the restructuring and repositioning considerations is securing a larger National Secretariat, constituting chapters executives, in all the customs formations, approaching the CRFFN for accreditation, etc”.
One of the leaders of the new association said their anger is that big time players in ANLCA have allowed things to go worse when they are capable to addressing the crisis.
It is envisaged that ANLCA may witness a seeming mass exodus from its fold, if the on going crisis is not urgently addressed by both past and present leaders.
One of the leaders who wanted to remain anonymous said, “what we plan is open our doors to all members of ANLCA, particularly young agents to see the new association as an alternative pressure that is capable of protecting their interests in view of what is going on in ANLCA”.
ANLCA had been faced with Board crisis which started early last year before it worsened and permeated the entire association with the elders/leaders capable of addressing the issue simply sitting on the fence watching.
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