CBN: Custom Brokers Seek Loan For Trucks Acquisition, Logistics Expansion

By DAPO OLAWUNI

The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has called on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to provide special special loan scheme to help logistics firms in expanding and maintaining fleet of heavy duty and lighter vehicles required beyond coverage of train services.

In a new year message signed by the National President of ANLCA, Hon Tony Iju Nwabunike, the association said apart from CBN, it is ready to interface stronger with the Federal Ministry of Finance, and the Bank of Industry (BoI) on the need for the special loan.

Nwabunike commended the resilience of Nigerian freight forwarders, customs brokers for keeping the chain of commerce unbroken by ensuring circulation of goods and services across the country even within areas of security concern.

“Be assured, once again that ANLCA under my watch and by your popular mandate, will continue to engage government strategically at various levels to achieve better deals for all our colleagues”

The ANLCA President observed that President Muhammadu Buhari had signed the 2021 Appropriation Law of over N13.5 trillion with a charge to revenue generating agencies to scale up their efforts for collection into government coffers.

He however lamented that, as professionals who interface with no fewer than 9 revenue collecting and regulatory agencies of government in order to generate revenue, the customs brokers are never celebrated.

“The impact of our activities on Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and many others reinforces our strategic role in government economic diversification agenda and increasing it’s non oil revenue base”

“According to figures obtained from the National Bureau for Statistics (NBS) and African Development Bank (AfDB) Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth was projected to rise to 2.9% in 2020 and 3.3% in 2021 depending on implementing the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan(ERGP)

“The country’s GDP for 2019 was $448.12B, a 12.55% increase from 2018 which was $398.16B, a 5.97% increase from 2017. All these have our inputs” he said

Nwabunike charged ANLCA members at the border stations and seaports to observe all safety precautions in view of the new wave of Covid-19 pandemic.

“As we enter the new year, 2021 we must not lose our guards – A second wave of #Covid19 has been identified and detected. It has become imperative that we continue to take responsibility and act in line with clearly spelt out guidelines”

“Our colleagues at all recently reopened land borders who were not at work last year due to border closure are advised to take a cue from customs brokers and freight forwarders at the sea and air ports”

“You may recall that criminal elements made murderous attempts at human lives and destroyed part of our property at the National Secretariat of ANLCA last year”

“For this, we are moving forward without grudge and on behalf of all members of the National Executive Committee (NECOM), we have forgiven the misdeeds of anyone attempting to disrupt our development agenda for ANLCA and our profession”

“ANLCA is strong and indivisible. It is in reality, the mother of every group that identifies itself as a customs licence or freight forwarding body in Nigeria”

“As mother hen of the sector, our wings are wide enough to cover and cater for all. I hereby call on all aggrieved persons in our organisation to come into our warm embrace as we enter a new year. Let’s work together as one”

“No person or group is perfect. Whoever feels offended or aggrieved by our style of administration should also forgive us any perceived shortcoming on our part. We can explore continually, the channels of dialogue and tolerance as we grow older and stronger” the statement reads