Port Insecurity: ANLCA Raises Alarm of People Sleeping Inside Apapa Port

…As Customs Promises To Issue Access Tags

By DAPO OLAWUNI

The Western Zone Chapter Executives of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has raised an alarm over the high number of people sleeping over inside Apapa port after the close of business for the day.

The association said the Customs Platform located inside APM Terminals, Apapa Is now serving as a sleeping place for some homeless port users.

The alarm was raised by the Apapa Chapter of ANLCA, Chief Dom Obi when the leader of ANLCA in the West – Sir John DanKatsina Ofobike led a delegation to the Area Controller, Apapa Command of Nigeria Customs Service, Compt Yusuf Malanta his management team on Wednesday, 22nd April 2021.

The association warned that people sleeping over inside Nigerian ports is a high security risk and breach at the port, urging the enforcement unit of the Apapa Customs Command to address the situation.

The Apapa Chairman of ANLCA, Dom Onyeka also listed some challenges being experienced by his members in the course of delivering their cargoes.
He pleaded for the minimization of the multiple alerts placed on cargoes by the Customs.

The various Chapter Chairmen of ANLCA on the delegation commended officers of the Apapa Customs command for their early resumption for duty in their offices, urging them to sustain the good work.

ANCLA Leader in the West, DanKatsina Ofobike told the CAC that the familiarization visit was to formally meet with the Command for both stakeholders to know each other and discuss areas of mutual interests.

In his response, Compt Yusuf Malanta assured that tags will be introduced to control the movements of officers and agents in and out of the Apapa terminal in order to check the misuse of the platform as a night-sleeping place.

He said that this will need the cooperation of every one using the ports to achieve.

The CAC said he considers all associations as stakeholders in the maritime industry and he must therefore engage with them as they come.

He expressed his displeasure at the crisis in ANLCA, pleading that the crisis should be resolved with the spirit of give and take. He urged members to bring down their ego and make ANLCA work for its members and the society at large.

Comptroller Yusuf praised ANLCA for being the best compliant organization, and advised the executives to continuously tell members to be compliant.

The CAC seeks the support of ANLCA to make Apapa port a user friendly port to make every one transacting business at the Apapa port happy enough for more visits.

Comptroller Malanta Yusuf also disclosed that the rates of alerts has reduced, pleading with Customs brokers/agents to always have their declarations right, especially correct classification and right value.

On the entourage of the leader of ANLCA in the West – Sir John Ofobike are: Elder Olumide Fakanlu, Prince Segun Oduntan, Comrade Goody Soleji, Barr. Bisiriyu Lasisi, Alhaji Mohammed Mojeed, Chief Dom Onyeka, Ossy Okolichi, Emmanuel Onwuamaegbu, Kenny Obatayo, Mike Imonitie, Mrs Yetunde Ilori, Emma Okoli and a few more others.

Sir John Ofobike later led the Western Zone executives to a meeting at the Ports Police Command inside the port at the invitation of DCP Taiwo Adeleke