ANLCA tasks new exco on mobilisation for AfCFTA

By Ezurike Ugochukwu

As the election of the executives of Eastern Chapters of ANLCA, gets underway Monday at the Presidential Hotel Port Harcourt. 

The National Preident of Assocation of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Hon Iju Tony Nwabunike has urged the emerging executives to mobilise the members to take advantage of the training opportunities at its national headquarters  to effectively key into the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

He made the disclosure on Tuesday at the ongoing election of the new executives of the Eastern Chapters of ANLCA, holding at the Presidential Hotel Port Harcourt,

Nwabunike stated: “Those to be elected through this meeting should take a cue from the national body and keep abreast of the developments like training and retraining programmes we shall be doing directly and virtually later in the year, ” he said.

He maintained, “As Customs Brokers, we have roles to play in deepening intra-Africa trade and ensuring seamless cargo movement within and outside our continent. Therefore, I urge you all to approach this emerging basket of opportunities with optimism and positive minds towards making the best of it.”

The national president tasked members of the association to ensure that they sharpen thier ICT capacities, urging them to further embrace learning of international languages like French, Mandarin (Chinese), Arabic and other means of international communication for business transactions.

On the election, he said, “I am pleased with the very peaceful, interactive and robustly engaging methods all the contestants have applied before, during and after the campaigns leading to the elections today (Monday).

“As a body, accept the congratulations of the National Executive Committee (NECOM) for your orderly and brotherly conducts. We are proud of you,” he said.

Nwabunike added that ANLCA is one strong and indivisible group, urging members not to be distracted by the activities of renegades and distractors.

“Our strength is in the collective unity we all profess and uphold irrespective of differences in tribe and language,” he stated.

He urged members not to lower their guard on compliance with Covid-19 protocols, saying the second wave of the pandemic is on and real. “ANLCA is at the vanguard of flattening the curve in our ports and within the total logistics chain. Continue to be part of our Covid-19 compliance drive for us all to survive it with our families,” he stressed.