National President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu, has said that the decision by the association to extend hand of fellowship to other stakeholders in the maritime industry is paying off.
Shittu said this in appreciation of the mass turn out of dignitaries from all walks of life at the commissioning of the association’s Murtalla Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) chapter new secretariat and freight forwarding agents village last Monday.
He said that with the sense of togetherness presently enjoyed between the association and other stakeholders in the industry, the freight forwarding profession would be better for it.
“Within the past three years rather than exhibit hooliganism as in the past we have reached out across the divide and that is why those who are regulating the industry are happy with us; gathered together to felicitate with us and that shows that something good is coming out of this our profession,” he said.
The ANLCA President said that the newly commissioned ANLCA MMIA chapter secretariat is an abode for all freight forwarding agents irrespective of the association they belong to.
Chairman of the chapter, Nze Alloysius Igwe, during his welcome address at the commissioning ceremony, expressed joy at the productive efforts of his executive team of being able to alleviate the suffering of agents operating at the chapter by providing a befitting and permanent secretariat for them.
He said: “My heart is gladdened to be the captain of the ship at a time the fulfillment of this great dream is being realized in spite the enormous challenges and difficulties experienced since the demolition of our office complex and the ANLCA secretariat on 30th December, 2005. This demolition exercise kept agents under the scorching heat for some weeks before one of the head of the government agencies intervened on the matter which eventually saw agents mounting and using canopies as the only means of protection from the scorching heat and rain.”
“As fate brought me in through the ANLCA Western Zone Chapters election held in January this year as the MMIA elected chapter chairman, my co-executives and I on assumption of office thought it wise to reciprocate the good gesture of FAAN (Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria) management by ensuring that no matter our financial constraints, this onerous task of putting shelter over the heads of our members must be actualized,” he further stated.
He said that aside from providing a befitting secretariat, his administration has embarked on enlightenment programmes for members of the chapter on professional cargo clearing procedures through seminars and workshops; and secured health and life insurance policies for them.
The ANLCA MMIA Chapter Secretariat/Agents Village commissioning ceremony was witnessed by dignitaries in the port industry including the Assistant Comptroller General Nigeria Customs Service Zone ‘A’, Victor Gbemudu; Customs Area Controllers of Apapa and MMIA Area Command, Controller Charles Edike and Deputy Controller Garba Ndalati respectively; Managing Directors of Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO), Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) and Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA); Commissioner of Police Airport Police Command MMIA, CP W. O Salau amidst other well wishers.
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