… Gets Oodua descendants’ endorsement for ANLCA Presidential election
By Steve Agbota
The Acting National President and Presidential Candidate for the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) in the forth coming National Executive Committee ( NECOM) election, Dr Kayode Farinto Collins has reiterated that the Federal government must recognise the role freight forwarders played in revenue generation to grow the nation’s economy.
Farinto who spoke at an endorsement ceremony organise for him by the Oodua Descendants Freight Forwarders Global Association as their sole candidate, lamented that freight forwarders and Customs brokers have never being honoured by the Federal Government for National Award honours despite their huge revenue contributions to the Federal government coffers.
He said if elected, he will work with the Federal Government to make sure friendly maritime policies are formulated by the government that will help the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) at the ports.
“Our profession must be recognised by the Federal Government. We are the ones generating the revenue through our importers, while the Customs only midwife and collect the same for the Government, but yet we are not recognised. We will make sure the Government recognises the role we play in the revenue chain hrough our activities in the ports,” he said.
Speaking further, the ANLCA Chieftain said the Federal Ministry of Transportation is too bogus and there is the need to balkanise it to the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, where the enormous potentials of the maritime industry will be fully harnessed, especially the Blue Economy resources that abound in the sector.
He lamented that as it stand now, Nigeria does not have any maritime policy for the next 10 years while advising President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to appoint professionals that will fashion out a working maritime policy for the country.
While advising his members at the event, he admonished them to practice the profession with integrity so as to leave a good name for the young freight forwarders coming into the profession.
In his remarks, the President of Oodua Descendants Freight Forwarders Global Association, Prince Segun Adefioye praised the sterling qualities of Dr Farinto’s leadership and promised that all his members would cast their votes for him. He said already he has secured 52 licences for voting for him at the election.
The gathering attracted who is who in from the Yoruba race in ANLCA, among them Board of Trustees members, Zonal Coordinator Western Zone, Some Western Zone Chapters Chairmen, Chieftain of ANLCA, some other contestants, Women in ANLCA and some Igbo Maritime Association members who represented the Igbo Maritme Association at the event.
The event also witnessed a brief presentation of their manifestos by other Contestants who are vying for one position or another.
The highlight of the event was the official presentation and Endorsement of Dr Kayode Farinto Collins as their sole Presidential candidate for the ANLCA NECOM election coming up in July 2023.