ANLCA Eastern Zone Rejects ‘Dissolution Of National Executive Committee’

The Eastern Zone of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has frowned at a publication claiming that the association’s National Executive Committee (NECOM) “has been dissolved by one Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha, alleged to be the chairman of the Board of Trustees.”
ANLCA, one of the oldest associations in the maritime sector, is saddled with the responsibility of protecting the interests of its members, midwifing smooth operational cargo transactions between importers and government agencies; creating awareness on current imports and exports fiscal policies on trade and helping create synergies and partnerships to generate more revenue and trade facilitations.
The association has been undergoing series of internal crises and power tussle of late, that has threatened its unity and formidable influence.
Chairman of ANLCA, Eastern Zone, Chief Uche Martins, through his secretary, Joshua Ahuama, said the zone during a meeting in Port Harcourt, unanimously dissociated itself from such “illegal, unconstitutional and destructive tendencies by some disgruntled and selfish power drunk members who are hell bent on destroying the association and its hard earned integrity.”
He said the Eastern Zone of the association must abide by the decision of the National Executive Council (NEC), reached at its July 12, 2023 meeting in Abuja, which was “based on the Constitution, noting that we have not exhausted the provisions of the constitution to warrant either sole administrator or director general”.
Mr Ahuama added that the zone stands on the decision reached at the meeting that “extends for another three months, the tenure of the National Executive Committee (NECOM) with a view to create room for adequate preparation and conduct of a free, fair and credible election.
“The Eastern Zone of ANLCA are law abiding, progressives and peace Loving members who work and operate under the instrumentality of the ANLCA supreme constitution”, he said, pointing out that if an election is not held within the stipulated time frame, the board could then think of alternative arrangements to move the association forward,” he said.
Also reacting to the alleged dissolution of NECOM, ANLCA patron, Chief Henry Njoku, said the alleged dissolution of NECOM is inconsistent with ANLCA’s supreme constitution and only reflects the wish of those who do not mean well for the association.
Chief Njoku, who is also the vice chairman, Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria, CRFFN, asserted that , “The so called chairman of the board, one Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha, is neither a member nor the chairman of the Board of Trustees of ANLCA registered and recognized by the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja.
” The Board of Trustees of ANLCA, registered and recognized by Corporate Affairs Commission , Abuja never held any meeting with the National Executive of ANLCA whereat such dissolution and appointment can validly take place”, he said noting that, “Taiwo Mustapha and his cohorts have no such power under ANLCA’s Supreme constitution to announce such dissolution and appointment.”
Njoku also disclosed that Mustapha has been specifically restrained by the Federal High Court sitting in Lagos in Suit No FHC/L/CS/1274/2018 from parading himself as chairman of Board of Trustees of ANLCA.
He therefore advised “all well meaning members of ANLCA to disregard the purported dissolution,” describing it as “misleading and mischievous unconstitutional act,” and enjoined them to remain calm and law abiding .