ANLCA BOT Veterans Push for 1% of Customs Revenue Collection

—As Taiwo Mustapha Highlights Agenda of Incoming 9-BoT Likeminds

By DAPO OLAWUNI

In a recent development within the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), members are rallying for a legislative push to secure a one percent revenue allocation from declared yearly revenues of the Nigeria Customs Service.

This proposal, aimed at ensuring that a portion of the revenue generated by customs declarations is returned to individual agents, is being championed by the incoming Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Association as a crucial step for the association’s financial stability and growth.

Nine veteran members of ANLCA who are aspirants in the forthcoming elections into the association Board of Trustees (BOT) have come together under 9-BOT “Likeminds” in order to clinch a bulk vote from members and eventually oversee affairs of association for next six years.

This list includes; Sunday Momoh, Demola Mumunney, Mohammed Sani Utai, Tunde Awonuga, Mr ⁠Dayo Azeez, and Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha.
Others are Sir Elochukwu Ernest, Chief Dennis Okafo, and Mr Kingsley Offor.

Speaking on behalf of the group in an interaction with members of the media on Monday, Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha, immediate past chairman of the ANLCA BOT, and another member, Mr Dayo Azeez stated that the push for the policy of 1% of generated customs revenue comes amid a broader discussion on the effectiveness and integrity of the association’s leadership.

The duo assured that if elected into office, this would form one of the agendas that would be vigorously pursued with the National Assembly and customs management.

Historical precedents, such as the efforts of former Customs CG Hameed Ali, who successfully advocated for retirement benefits for customs officers, suggest that such reforms, while challenging, are achievable with sustained advocacy.

According to Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha, he said “I have sat down to think about this issue of one percent, but it is easier said than done. It is true that we want the one percent, but the CGC of customs cannot on his own decide that he wants to start giving us.

“The way we need to go is to push through the National Assembly for it to be part of the law, it is achievable if we kick-start it, even if we don’t achieve it in our time, another generation would achieve it.
Today, we have a sitting customs CG who listens to us, and this is a better time to kick-start it.

“For the eight years administration of the former Customs CG, Hameed Ali,  even we as agents never saw him in the day to day activities of our job, he did something that previous CGC’s were unable to achieve

“He ensured that every Controllers of customs going on retirement is given a Toyota Corolla, your driver, and a certain amount of money. The ACG goes home with one car and one jeep, the DCG goes home with one jeep, one car and one pick-up truck, this is running till today. Ali was able to take it to the National Assembly and he achieved it.

“The benefits starts from his tenure as CG and doesn’t affect those that have preceeded him. These benefits are renewable every four years till when the officer dies. Any officer that doesn’t want to go with these packages can decide to trade it off and collect cash.

“It took Hameed Ali six years pursuing this in the National Assembly before he could get it done. So, if we are able to work with Wale Adeniyi, no matter how long it takes us, I believe we would get it done. We are not asking for anything extraordinary, it is just one percent of whatever you are able to declare in a year.

“If a company is able to declare 1,000 SGD’s in a year and it is on the system that you cumulatively generated revenue of one billion Naira to the federal government, one percent of this money is paid back to you as an individual.
This could also be converted into profit to ANLCA as individuals would give back to the association”

In parallel with this push, four out of the proposed 9-BoT Likemind veterans including Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha, Sir Ernest, Dennis Okafor, and Dayo Azeez are rejoining the board after having served initially in 2014.

Mustapha and his colleagues argue that their continued presence is crucial for maintaining the association’s integrity and preventing it from falling into disarray.

They cite past crises and internal conflicts that jeopardized the association’s stability for five straight years under its former president, Tony Iju Nwabunike, even as they emphasize their commitment to completing their term to ensure a smooth transition of leadership to the next generation.

The return of these board members is seen as a move to counteract attempts by other BOT aspirants who fuelled the five years crisis of the Tony Iju ‘s era, to destabilize ANLCA.

The veterans assert that their experience and dedication are vital for advancing key initiatives, such as the establishment of the Customs Brokers Institute, which was started under the leadership of President Olayiwola Shittu.

They emphasize that their efforts have been instrumental in the association’s achievements and argue that their return is supported by the membership’s desire to safeguard the association’s democratic principles and effectiveness.

Speaking, they said “Anybody who has served his first term on the board since 2014 is still an incumbent. In the last five to six years, there were issues among the board that didn’t make them serve their time.
And for the fact that we stood and did not leave and protected the integrity of the association, we deserve to complete our term.

“Some of us do not plan to return into the Board, but our members pleaded with us not to allow the association to be hijacked by the same people who tried to sink it during the five years crisis, some of them are the same people now contesting to become board members. We all know that their agenda is to go there and frustrate the present NECOM members.

“I came into the board during an election supervised by Prince Olayiwola Shittu administration in Warri 2014. The tenure was supposed to be for six years. These other people were the ones that created the crisis in the association,  so much so that, in year 2020, when the tenure of the BOT would have been renewed by another election, this did not materialize because these other set of people are still hell-bent in bringing ANLCA down.

“We stood our grounds to ensure that the association does not go down, this is the reason why ANLCA members have confidence in those who fought for the association and they requested that we should come back and complete the job because we are entitled to two tenures.

“If we leave now, the other people will now succeed in tearing ANLCA apart. If eventually we served out our term, we shall be leaving the BOT in the hands of the younger generation, not in the hand of those who failed and tried to kill the association.

“Remember, that without the BOT working hand in hand with the NECOM, we would experience dislocation in policy making, in direction, and in effective management of the affairs of ANLCA.

“ANLCA is the only democratic association in the freight forwarding industry. And there are these people, the other people, many of them want ANLCA to operate like the other association. That is, leaders should emerge by the blessings of an individual, they want to now be like what Trump is planning in America, they want to position themselves where they will be the kingmaker, but our members are saying No, life should not be like that”

As ANLCA navigates these significant changes, the combined push for revenue reform and experienced leadership underscores the association’s strategic focus on strengthening its position and ensuring sustainable development.

The outcome of these efforts will likely shape the future trajectory of ANLCA and its role in the customs brokerage industry.