The National President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Mr Emenike Nwokeoji, has charged Agents on the need for compliance to the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 to ensure smooth operations at the ports.

Addressing members of the Abia Freight Forwarders Association who paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Port Harcourt the Rivers state capital, Monday, Nwokeoji said for agents to enjoy freight Forwarding business, they should stop taking risks for importers by engaging in wrong Valuation, classification and declaration of imported goods insisting that such practices have put agents in a great risk.

Nwokeoji who expressed happiness for the visit admonished agents “please read the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, very well and do the right thing. Don’t take risks for importers, the level of risks we are taking for importers is much and I don’t think it worths it,” Nwokeoji insisted.

On the issue of multiple alerts on exiting containers by the Customs and other alleged unwholesome practices by some government agencies at the ports, Nwokeoji said he has concluded with the Onne customs Command on a central alert system and promised to tackle head on, other agencies like the SON, NAFDAC among others on the need to ensure a seamless operation at the Nigerian Ports.

The ANLCA boss, also used the opportunity to highlight on the recent concluded Comptroller General of Customs Conference 2023 which took place at the Continental Hotel in Lagos with the theme, “Leveraging Data Analytics for secure and Efficient Trade Facilitation in Customs Operations” saying it was a hugh success even as he applauded the Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Wale Adeniyi (MFR) for the recognition accorded ANLCA at the conference which according to him, has shown the level of harmonious relationship existing between the Nigeria Customs Service and ANLCA.

Speaking on the reason for the courtesy visit, the President, Abia Freight Forwarders Association Chief Ijere Ibiam Eleanya stated that it would not be proper for them to wait till next year before visiting the National president.

He noted that as his brothers they should show solidarity and also as foot-solders ensure he did not derail in his mandate to return ANLCA to her lost glory.

On his achievements so far as the visit coincided with the President’s 100 days in office, Eleanya said, that the President has done well. “I give him 80%."

Continuing, he asserted: “This Association was engulfed in a very serious crisis for a long time. It is like reconstructing a dilapidated house. And the president has been going round to unite everybody in the Association and in no distance time, all his efforts will begin to manifest.”

He said he was looking forward in two years’ time for a vibrant association where every member will be happy even as he praised him for a robust harmonious relationship with Customs and other agencies at the Ports.

In his Contribution, Rtn Chukwu Nnanna of Prestige Associates and member Abia Freight Fordwarders Association while speaking to journalists on the sideline of the event, stated that they were happy to visit the National President who has been busy since his assumption of office 100 days ago trying to rebuild what he termed a crisis ridden ANLCA.

On his performance so far, Nnanna who is also a member of the Eastern zonal presidential committee on Government agencies noted that “it has not been easy, you know the National president inherited an Association in chaos, yes, ANLCA was in a very turbulent time before he assumed office, but, I thank God, he is uniting ANLCA and bringing the lost respect and glory of the Association. Customs and other relevant agencies at the Ports are now seeing ANLCA as partners in progress than the previous years when the Association was relegated to the background, I see it as a very big achievement and in the next two years, it will be uhuru for ANLCA,” even as he enjoined every member of the association to rally round the National president for him to achieve his goals of reshaping the association to the part of greatness.

The high point of the visit was the presentation of the ANLCA National President’s portrait to him as a gift by the association.

•ANLCA National President Emenike Nwokeoji in group photograph with visiting Abia Freight Forwarders

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