The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) yesterday described call for its deregistration from the list of registered freight forwarding associations by the Federal Ministry of Transport (FMOT) as a joke.
Four freight forwarding associations under the aegis of Concerned Registered Freight Forwarding Associations (CRFFA) had made the call for ANLCA’s deregistration during a press briefing in Lagos on Tuesday.
But in a press statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kayode Farinto yesterday, ANLCA said the four associations were merely looking for recognition.
“In as much as we are not ready to join issues with any association in the maritime industry, there is need to put the records straight in order to correct the erroneous impression and misinformation their loquaciousness may have caused to the industry.
“We have said times without number that any name under the guise of Concerned Registered Freight Forwarding Association is illegal and ANLCA will not discuss with any illegal body. But, we wish to advice that should this small freight forwarding associations be interested in collecting money, they should go ahead and collect from their members only.
“The associations should also be careful with their outburst if not, we will not have any choice but expose how they got their provisional registration.
“It is only ANLCA that met all the requirements during the registration of the associations but these four associations under CAFFA: National Government Approved Freight Forwarding (NAGAFF), National Council of Managing Director Licensed of Customs Agent (NCMDLCA), Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN) and National Association of Freight Forwarders and Consolidators (NAFFAC) were given provisional registration through the back door.
“It however amuses us whenever we hear that these same people that were given provisional registration are calling for the deregistration of ANLCA. We are the only democratic association with a wide spread in all the geographical locations across Nigeria.
“We wish to say unequivocally that CRFFA should go ahead and collect the Practitioners Operation Fees (POF) from their members only if they actually have. ANLCA is currently busy with the development of the sector one of which is the Common External Tariff (CET) and the adverse effects of it implementation and not trivial issues like the POF collection,” Farinto said.
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