‘ANLCA BoT Election About Service And Togetherness’ – Awonuga

A  contestant in the September 12, 2024 Board of Trustees (BoT) election of the Association of Nigeria License Customs Agents (ANLCA), Alhaji Tunde Awonuga has said that members spirit of brotherhood should be a non negotiable article of faith at all time; irrespective of elective office politics.

He said win or lose in the coming election or any other election, members must remember that they are professional family and should remain united to continue to advance the growth of the association and its members.

Awonuga in a chat with our reporter weekend reiterated his desire to support the board in driving the process of professionalizing the customs brokerage industry, in addition to making the presence of ANLCA actively felt in Abuja as a basis for the ease of actualizing pertinent goals, if he gets elected.

As a contestant, how best do you think that the upcoming board election should go to avoid of controversy.

For some time l have been out of Lagos and not able to read the body language of so many of the political actors including promoters, contestants, voters and members. It is when you have an idea of what is playing out that one can really speak directly to some of the issues. But I have intention of going out Monday, l understand that Monday is screening, so if am there by the time I speak to one or two people that have been on ground for a while, I think l will be able to arrive at what l should advise about the upcoming election.

There are rumours making the round that this board election is going is going to be conducted across zones as against the norm where board election takes place during an AGM a particular venue. How do you react to that?

I think the concern or the worry of the national leadership or president is one of logistics at this crucial time, things are difficult for everyone. Presently, the economic hardship is biting harder on every individual no matter how big you’re. If you have been filling your car fuel tank with fifty thousand naira before, you should be looking at ninety thousand naira now. I think those are the reasons why the new strategy was adopted. If everything is well organized as planned, I think it is a well thought out strategy and will produce a free and fair election. I have heard that they are going to transmit the process electronically and with that we should be hopeful. I don’t see any problem about it. Bye and large, I don’t see this election as a do or die because all of us are just coming on board to see how to support the progress of the association in our own individual little ways. So if the underlying interest is to serve and render assistance for the good of everybody, the process shouldn’t be do or die. So I see the proposed election via the zones where results will be transmitted immediately, electronically as a good political innovation.

There have been complaints  by somebody who obtained nomination form by couldn’t submit before the due date alleging disenfranchisement…even though reports indicate that three persons failed to submit their forms before the deadline. As a participant, how best do you think this accusation and labeling can be addressed?

Well, ANLCA is an institution and there are organs and relevant authorities in charge of elections and matters related toelections. I want to believe that every issue connected to this election and in fact, any election for that matter will be addressed by the specific organs. This issue raised by you will not be an exception, I believe it will be addressed, so my advice is that we should have confidence in the constituted authorities.

What word of advice do you have for the electron umpire, the voter, contestants and their supporters?

My candid advice is for everyone to thread softly, we are all a family, a professional family, ASECO is a member of the association, the electorate is a member of the association, the contestants are members of the association, so whatever that happens all you just need to do is to make sure everybody is transparent in whatever he or she is doing, in whatever capacity he or she is acting. Let us compete to win and remain together not compete to die, we should promote a sense of ease and belonging. If eventually you win, you win to work for us, if otherwise, you should move ahead. One thing I just believe is that it’s not a do or die thing.

We had a discussion before now where you outlined certain cardinal agenda alongside the G9 to contribute to make the board, can we have a recap of the things you hope to bring on board?

Like what I said earlier why I am highly interested in contesting for the seat of the BoT.  I want to make sure that we are able to equate our association with others in other parts of the world. Take for instance, in America, what strategy do they put in place to make sure that they are successful? Why do government and others give them recognition? It is because they partner and speak on policy issues with one voice, license issue is undertaken as a body. That is the system l wish to see also happens here, where we will be treated like top class citizen by the customs and other agencies. That is the thing we need to work on and that is what the G9 want to achieve through our collective input. Two, as much as possible we need to make sure we have an office in Abuja, not just an office but the one we know we can call at any point in time, and our problem can be solved immediately through that, which is like a liaison office. While we are working on that we begin to look for a permanent office where we have our head office in Abuja. Before the end of the tenure we can begin the construction a building which we call the head office of ANLA. I mentioned the issue of indiscriminate withdrawal of licenses where someone will sit down in his office and before you know they say your license has been suspended or whatever, without first reverting to ANLCA. It is because we are not speaking with one voice. We have a bond that we procured before we obtained the license. The function of the bond is to stand for the license in case of infraction in customs duties and whatever, that is the function of the bond. We need to make sure we standardized that arrangement with customs where our bond stands for the license, stands for custom duty, stands for shipment in the port while the argument is ongoing and pending when we resolve such issues. As such, there is no need for instance, arbitrary suspension of customs license until the issues are resolved; whether it relates to HS Code, value or whatever. So if we have a standing bond with customs that our bond will speak for us, fill the gap and we take the goods down. We will now go back to resolution and see how the issues can be resolved.