“My 40-years Experience in Maritime makes Me an Ideal Candidate to Bring Positive Change to ANLCA—BoT aspirant, DENCA

By DAPO OLAWUNI

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Denca Services Limited, Chief Dennis Okafor, has said that haven bagged experience in the maritime industry for the past 40 years, clearly stands him out to bring the desired change into the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA)
Okafor is a part of the progressive nine members who are pursuing a joint ticket for the Board of Trustees (BOT) of ANLCA under the “BOT9 Likeminds”

Speaking with maritime journalists in Lagos on Monday, Okafor called on the Nigeria Customs Service to regulate and review the procedures for the issuance of bonded terminal licenses to checkmate the influx of arms and ammunition as well as illicit drugs into the country.

Okafor made the call while reacting to recent seizures of large caches of arms, ammunition and illicit drugs by Customs at the Tin Can Island Port, Onne Port and Apapa port.

The Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, had revealed that bonded warehouses, in collusion with corrupt elements within the Customs service, are being exploited as channels to smuggle arms and ammunition and other offensive items into Nigeria.

He noted that the current ease of obtaining licenses from Customs has led to unscrupulous individuals exploiting the system, resulting in the movement of dangerous goods through bonded warehouses.

He urged the NCS to make the process more stricter, considering factors like location, company organogram, and the character of applicants, to ensure licenses are issued to reputable and trustworthy individuals.

His words, “The problem we have with flying of containers in collusion with bonded terminal operators is customs. They should be held responsible because in those days before you get a bonded terminal license, a lot of things has to be done.

“It’s not just to run to Abuja get paper and come back, there are many things that are considered. For example, location is very paramount and organogram of the company among other things .But these days Customs don’t do it and they don’t look at the character of the person because you have to be a clearing agent with known character and good record but now they issue license to every Dick and Harry they don’t check their background.

“Things are not done like that. The license needs to be regulated Customs need to raise the bar so that the licenses would not be given to unscrupulous people.

“Somebody should not just have land, clear it for customs to inspect and he gives them money and they issue him license. If this continues, the issue of flying dangerous containers through bonded terminals will not abate. It will continue. The old bonded terminal operators cannot indulge in such things.”

Speaking on the upcoming BoT election and his chances to secure a seat on the board, the Denca boss stated that his over 40 years experience in the industry makes him an ideal candidate to bring positive change to ANLCA.

He said, ” I came into the industry in 1981. I started as a freight forwarder now I am a bonded terminal operator. I am also a port manager, I manage port Harcourt port Area one, which we won it’s concession. We are into oil and gas services too.

“I started politics in ANLCA with Peter Okocha. I was the treasurer during his regime in the early 1990s. I later became a board member in 2014 but before then I have been in the forefront of agents welfare, mentoring them.

“During the ANLCA crisis, I was the Chairman of the board but I relinguished the position and sacrifice a lot for peace to reign.

Okafor also expressed his commitment to improve agents’ welfare and sanitize the cargo clearance system if elected.

“Clearing agents are suffering too much. The system of the work has been basterdize. As much as we can, we will try to bring sanity into clearing. As someone who has been in the industry since 1981, I am knowledgeable in what is happening in the industry, ” he said.

When asked about his ability to compete with certain opponents in the BoT election who have strong connections in the Apapa Chapter of the association, to which he also belongs, Okafor said,
“I’m not bordered about that. This is an election, and anyone can win.

“To me, it is not a do-or -die affair. Whoever wins should be allowed to take the position.We are in a democracy, and our democracy is transparent.”

Okafor also addressed concerns that some G- 9 members’ are not well- known or visible in ANLCA politics and have not held any position in the chapter or national level.

According to him, what is most important is not prior experience or visibility, but rather the ability to deliver results and drive positive change.

“Before the members of the G9 came up with the agenda we have agreed that it has to be in collaboration with NECOM. They will be at the front while we will be at the back to make sure we achieve our agenda.

“In some associations, they appoint people that can help the association into their board because of value and the substance they can add to the association not even by election. So it is the capacity to deliver that matters not whether someone has served in any position in ANLCA at chapter or national level, ” he said.