Uche Henry 

The Association of Nigerian licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), has refuted insinuations making the rounds that it is passing through deep crisis, saying such claims are unfounded and must be trashed by the publics.

A statement by the senior Special Assistant (SSA) on media, to the National President of ANLCA, Val Iwuchukwu, stated that the social media was awashed with reactions on Monday May 17, 2019, following a publication made by one Dapo Olawuni, in Nigeriamaritime360.com titled “ANLCA crisis deepens – as top chieftain defects to NAGAFF”

According to Iwuchukwu, the story had it that, one Omotosho Francis, whom the writer described as a top member of ANLCA who was hitherto Director of Planning and Research had dumped the association to join National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarder (NAGAFF).

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Iwuchukwu stated “it is important to note that presently there is no office designated as Director of Planning and Research in the National Secretariat of ANLCA.  Going down memory lane, the report said  the immediate past President of ANLCA in his wisdom once employed the said Mr Francis Omotosho as a technical support staff during his tenure. The present administration did not find the office necessary as the gentleman did not add any value to the previous administration,”

“A check into ANLCA’s record shows clearly that one Omotosho Francis Idowu was never licensed as Custom’s agent, he is not at anytime the MD, GM or CEO of any licensed company and his company (if any) is not authorised to operate as a customs agent. He merely attached himself with different licensed companies at various times. One wonders, if not mischief, why someone whose company is not licensed and as such not a member of ANLCA in the strictest sense can be described as a top Chieftain of ANLCA”?

“Our records also showed that at one time, the former Treasurer of ANLCA, Alhaji Bojuri Akinsola Hamzat, employed him as a personal staff. Last October, he smartly leveraged on that and collected form to contest election with the intention to represent ANLCA in the Board of CRFFN, but failed to get the approval/clearance of ANLCA leadership because he was not qualified. Since he failed to realise his ambition through the back door, Omotosho took it personal and engaged in mudslinging of the person of the National President and his NECOM.”