By Bon Peters,Port Harcourt
The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents ANLCA National President, Mr. Emenike Nwokeoji has inaugurated the Eastern zonal presidential committee of the Association.
Speaking to Newsmen on the sideline of the event, the National President said this was to replicate what happened in Lagos recently where their Western zonal committee was inaugurated.
He added that because of the economic situation in the country at the moment and to save the committee members from the risks and hassles of traveling to Lagos, he decided to segment it and inaugurate them at the ANLCA Secretariat, Onne, Rivers State.
He said the essence of the National Committee was borne out of the conviction that the industry is large and one person alone serving as a chapter or zonal executive officer would not be able to interface with the various government agencies and parastatals involved in the freight forwarding and clearing business, noting the enormity of the job necessitated the constitution and inauguration of the committee to complement the works of the chapter executives of the Association, warning against any form of unhealthy rivalry between the presidential committee and zonal or chapter executive
“Please avoid conflict with the zonal or chapter executive. Remember we have all the positions contested and won but because the industry is too large with many government agencies, shipping companies and other stakeholders that are involved in our job, we decided to inaugurate this committee”Nwokeoji said
Continuing, Nwokeoji said, the inauguration would come in phases even as he reminded those in this phase which he referred to as phase 1,to expect some members to join them in the future.
He warned that they should not look at themselves as alternatives to the chapter executive but to complement them to ensure that members would not suffer unnecessarily during the course of their business but to assist them in any capacity possible.
“Those of you appointed should work with your members and know this is not a one man business”
“You are not an alternative to the chapter executive or the zonal” You are not going there as an investigative team but to complement what they are doing, “Nwokeoji stated.
Reiterating the need for a harmonious working relationship among them and executives on ground, he said “we will not tolerate whereby because you are wearing identity card that bears national, you look down on the elected officers”, that according to him would not be tolerated even as he enjoined them to work with their terms of reference and contact him for clarification if the need arises.
Also speaking, the former National President of ANLCA, Chief Ernest Elochukwu admonished the committee members on the essence of joining an association which he said was for the overall protection of common interest of the members.
.
