We Are Discussing With FG On Border Reopening, ANLCA No Longer Ready To Condone Insubordination-  Tony Nwabunike

We Are Discussing With FG On Border Reopening, ANLCA No Longer Ready To Condone Insubordination-  Tony Nwabunike

By UDO ONYEKA

The National president of Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents ANLCA,  Hon. Iju Tony Nwabunike disclosed  that in no distant time the land borders closed by the federal government to check insecurity would be reopened owing to fruiful discussion between government and the association.
Nwabunike who  made the disclosure at press conference in Lagos on Monday said  the federal government is aware that  Nigerian business community will maximize the benefits of African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) only when the borders are reopened.
In a press release ANLCA  reminded the Federal Government that AfCFTA regime which hopes to take effect from January 2021 with secretariat in Accra Ghana, will place Nigerian businesses people at disadvantage if the nation’s land borders remained closed to trade.
“The association further reminded the government that Nigeria will be shut out of trade with proximate countries of Benin Republic, Cameroun, Chad and Niger Republic in West and Central African countries.
“It also identified the historic and strategic trade impact of Nigeria to the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) where it is bordered by Niger, Cameroun and Chad.
“The association therefore secured the assurances of the Federal Government on the need to effect gradual reopening of the closed borders with particular focus on rules of origin to prevent abuses of incentives like the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS).
“This in our view will help in discouraging smuggling activities through all approved routes.
“In line with the ECOWAS protocol,we hope all Neighbouring countries will henceforth deliver transit goods to the Nigeria customs service.We posit that for Nigeria Customs service to be In tune with international best practices it should allow Micro Chip shoot on every container along the ECOWAS route into the country.
“It was observed as an issue of utmost concern that cargoes on transit and mobile assets like trucks laden with goods worth over N130b belonging to private business people were trapped since August 18, 2019 when the borders were shut under a joint operation,codenamed “Exercise Swift Response”.
“Most of the goods with perishable timelines have either been destroyed due to expiry periods or damaged beyond redemption as a result of exposure to unfavorable elements. ANLCA findings also confirm vandalism, theft and arson on some of the trucks and goods they carry, therefore causing great losses to many struggling business men and women.
“Of note is the over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs that have been lost so far due to this policy, which in our view , should have been approached and implemented differently”,ANLCA satement said.
Speaking at press conference Nwabunike revealed that the association’s NECOM will, in the coming weeks, call for NEC meeting,  AGM and conduct BOT elections.
He advised those who are still parading themselves as the BOT members  and fighting the current executives of ANLCA to join hands and make the association better and stronger.
“They are allowed to go and obtain forms, if they know they are still interested to become BOT members, so that they can join other three members who have so far obtained their forms.
“My Council Members, especially my Vice-President, are not happy with me for not responding urgently and decisively.But now I have resolved and I  say enough is enough,” Nwabunike said.
The ANLCA president who traced  the association’s  history  to as far back as February  2014 when the  elections into the BOT was held in Warri,  accused  Taiwo Mustapha, Ernest Elochukwu, Dayo Abdullaziz, Dennis Okafor and Taiye Oyeniyi of  formenting  trouble in the association, in their desire to sit tight as members of the dissolved  BOT.
He explained that the nine-member BOT was elected in February 2014 for the statutory 6-year tenure which ended in January, 2020.
According to him the other four members of the BOT have resigned while these five men have refused to let go, relying on “a certificate fraudulently obtained from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) which has since been withdrawn as the CAC said it was issued in error”.
He said the dissidents in the association have tried all they could to distabilise his administration since the last two years he took office.They have  instituted eight court cases, some of them spurious and self-serving only aimed at making  the association ungovernable.

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