Crisis-ridden ANLCA Set for Competition As More Associations Spring Up at Port

By DAPO OLAWUNI

Arguably, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) is the biggest freight forwarding association in the Nigerian maritime industry and in West Africa, based on its members political clout, secretariat structures, spread around the country among other criteria.

Other registered associations that have since grew from ANLCA are; National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF); Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN) National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) as well as National Association of Airfreight and Cargo Consolidators (NAFAC)

Fresh findings have however shown that the leadership crisis that has engulfed the soul of ANLCA might soon send her to the graves as more associations are now taking advantage of the crisis to launch-out their registration.

Sources at the port told our correspondent that the association may not survive again if it fails to resolve the leadership crisis that is currently tearing apart the very core of its existence.

Investigations by DAILY TREND NEWS showed that a new association; The Ports Licensed Custom Brokers Association of Nigeria has just been floated, joining other associations like; African Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON); Congregation of Registered Freight Forwarding Practitioners of Nigeria (CREFFPON); All Ports Unified Freight Forwarding Practitioners Association (APUFFPA) among others.

A source within ANLCA who pleaded anonymity told DAILY TREND NEWS that ANLCA for now is still dwelling and taking advantage of past glory.

According to him, the newly registered associations are now poaching members from both ANLCA and the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) to boost their strength.

Recall that APFFLON, the new kid on the block, has been consolidating its presence at the various ports through positive advocacy, and recently, the creation of more chapters.

The association has also been engaging the Nigeria Customs Service and other government parastatals constructively in other to get a better working environment for its members.

APFFLON recently inaugurated three chapters namely Tin Can Island Port, Apapa Port and Ikorodu/Ibeshe chapters. The association also rejigged it’s national executive committee members.

It would be of note, that while ANLCA was sleeping during the collection of controvertial Practitioners Operating Fee (POF) by the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN), APFFLON swiftly went to court and stopped the Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi from continuing the collection.

“What ANLCA fails to understand is that association is all about numerical strength, while our leaders are busy fighting themselves over positions, other associations are busy growing themselves, I can bet you that by the time this crisis in ANLCA is resolved, there would no longer be anything left of it to he proud of”

“Look at the NAGAFF for example, one of their prominent member at Tin Can Port; Emeka Nwosu has just joined APFFLON. The loss of Nwosu on NAGAFF is a plus to APFFLON ”

“Just the way APFFLON has started establishing chapters and presence at Nigerian ports, the other new associations are planning to do the same, then, ANLCA would no longer have this past glory they are relying upon ” he said

Our correspondent also gathered that the new associations would be vying for membership and control of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) even as calls are being made that elections into the Council should no longer be based on associations.

“The new associations have equally been registered with CAC, you can go and investigate their RC numbers” the source added.

Former President of ANLCA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, a former member Governing Council of CRFFN, in a recent chat with our correspondent noted that registration of associations into the CRFFN is a continuous process, provided the association has met the required criteria.

“Registration of associations into CRFFN is a continuum, anybody can float an association, once you have the minimum required number of members, there are conditions for associations to be registered, even though those conditions have been bastardised over time, but once you can meet up the conditions, everything would be done transparently”

“There is no reason why the unregistered associations cannot apply for registration at any time, all they need to look at is the criteria, because there is no limit to the membership by individuals or membership by associations”

He said that most of the five registered associations in existence do not really meet up the requirements set by CRFFN Act.