By Steve Agbota
The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and Fano Shipping Agencies Limited, have deliberated on how to tackle the myriad of challenges facing the nation’s ports.
Both groups started this move recently when the acting National President of ANLCA, Dr. Kayode Farinto, led executive ANLCA delegation in a courtesy visit to the Executive Chairman of Fano Shipping Agencies Limited, Eze Damian Emeka Obianigwe.
At the meeting, ANLCA President lamented that the infighting and disunity in the association has created so many challenges in the industry, alleging that the Nigeria Customs service (NCS) has taken advantage of the infighting to introduce illegal duties.
He, however, urged the President Association of Igbo Maritime Practitioners of Nigerian (ASSIMPIN) to call the Igbos causing trouble in the association to order.
Meanwhile, Farinto revealed that he recently received a divine revelation where God told him, he will remove the fuse of those disturbing the peace of ANLCA, and informed Obianigwe that the association remains open to reconciliation.
His words: “We are here for two reasons; the first is that since you’ve been given staff of office, we have not had the opportunity to come and salute you, because we are your subjects. If there is going to be sanity in the country, the traditional rulers know what to do.
“At ANLCA, we have the understanding when it comes to administration either you are Igbo, Yoruba or Hausa! that when it’s the turn of the Igbos the Yoruba’s must support and when it’s the turn of the Yoruba’s the Igbos must support, to the glory of God before our president travelled out on course, we the yoruba’s that were part of the government made sure we gave him the full support because it is his turn and it could be anybody’s turn tomorrow,” he added.
In his response, Eze Damian Emeka Obianigwe, urged the acting President not to be distracted by the crisis in the association even as he commended him for being a voice against the illegal levies introduced by the government.
Obianigwe described the acting ANLCA president as someone who will be the messiah to deliver freight forwarders from the anguish of the NCS, commending Farinto for speaking the bitter truths to Customs and the Finance Ministry.