Apparently worried about the current situation at the grassroots in freight forwarding practice of the group, Chairman ,Tin Can Island Chapter, Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) ,Mr. Akintoye Peters Ojo on Thursday,insisted that the foremost association has been factionalized .
Ojo Peters who disclosed this in a chat with newsmen in Lagos ,stated that there is no doubt that the association is gradually experiencing some level of parallel government in place , noting that the misunderstanding in the foremost licensed customs agent group has crippled activities of the chapter.
Despite being the duly elected chairman of the chapter, Ojo Peters lamented that he cannot gain access to the secretariat at Tin Can Island Port , noting that the immediate past chairman of the chapter was part of team that dragged the National Executives led by Tony Iju Nwabunike to court.
The Chairman maintained that “When we came on board we were given a mandate to regain the secretariat and we believe that the government is for the people by the people and of the people .
But we felt we don’t want to involve ourselves in fracas that may lead to loss of lives and that is why we are approaching the situation with the law of the land to see how the association get the secretariat back.
” The Secretariat is not meant for Ojo Peters, this is my office and this is where we are have this conversation.
“The Secretariat belong to the association and the constitution also mentioned how to recover the properties of the association.”
While speaking on the pending court case on POF collection, the chairman said, “That was also expatiated on yesterday by CRFFN showing evidence that the court case has been struck out. It was one of our senior colleagues that took them to court in that respect in 2018 but according to them, the case was struck out in January this year when there was no follow up.
“You know the general believe of the people is that when we have such case; the parties involved are supposed to stay action on the object of the case. And I can see that the CRFFN took that opportunity to come up in full force this time around. But assuming that our people are still following that case up, that could have restrained them from this present action but unfortunately, the case was struck out.”
On whether he is directing freight forwarders he earlier instructed at the TICT on Tuesday to discontinue payment of the POF to start paying it now that he knows better, he said, “I am a chapter chairman; it is only my president that can speak on the ANLCA position on POF. I don’t have the capacity to do so.
“We have a meeting, I have spoken with my President and by God’s grace, I believe that by Monday, because the president wants to address the press on the position of ANLCA on the POF but he wants to have a meeting with us first to articulate our position in this aspect.
“So, we are having meeting probably tomorrow (today) or Monday in that respect and call for a press conference and tell the entire world our stand concerning that POF.”
By Roland Ekama
