‘Synergy In Revenue Administration Indispensable’- Customs, ANLCA
BY GBOGBOWA GBOWA
Acting Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR and the National President (NP) of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Mr. Emenike Kingsley Nwokeoji has underscored the need for mutual partnership in the pursuit of optimal revenue collection and national security.
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Both organisations therefore pledged to resuscitate critical trading communication for effective and efficient synergies to guarantee sustained, mutually beneficial business engagements, going forward.
The meeting which held at the customs headquarters recently followed the return of normalcy to ANLCA consequent upon which its new leadership visited the CGC and his management team in Abuja.
In view of the above, indications emerged during the meeting that the NCS annual conference that reviews customs trade activities put in abeyance by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari may have been reacted and is billed to recommence soon.
The CGC also thanked the Customs Consultative Council (CCC) and its leadership for helping to broker peace in ANLCA and consequently securing a peaceful election that led to the emergence of the Nwokeoji led NECOM, noting that the service will maintain its position of consulting with relevant stakeholders to enable the customs service succeed in its national assignments.
A statement by the spokesman of the customs service, Abdullahi Maiwada said the CGC urged the new NECOM to consider their peculiar privilege in customs trade to sustain the peace amongst them, which, according to him, will encourage the service to continue to take them as vital partners.
“I want to use this opportunity to rekindle the good understanding and peace between yourselves so that we will be able to synergize in eradicating threats against revenue collection and national security.
“The ball is now in the coat of the executive, new management committee and, of course, the board members. I urge you to swing into action and start work because there is much to do to bring sanity and professionalism to the industry.”
Moving forward together, Adeniyi explained that with the return of peace to the association, the service is poised to getting them onboard the joint task of consolidating on innovations in the area of automation of procedures deemed beneficial to authorised economic operators.
Further speaking on the prospects of expanding the frontiers of engagement in promoting modernization of customs trade and compliance, the CGC said, “We are going to hold a meeting with Customs Agents to ensure that we bring the required sanity into our operations.”
Responding, the ANLCA NP appreciated the Ag CGC for taking the bull by the horns to engineer the peace deal between the factions of the association, and affirmed that his team has already swung into action to move the association forward.
He commended the customs boss for his pragmatic leadership posture and insight and as one that accommodates and understands issues at stake and promptly proffers solutions to them.
He said, “Your appointment is timely and most deserving that our dear country needs the most for economic and development growth”, adding:
“In that regard, we wish to inform you that we count on you; we know your antecedent, and we hope you will count on us too, to achieve your objectives.”
Speaking earlier, the CCC Chairman, Aare Hakeem Olanrewaju, said to have led the joint delegation of the CCC and ANLCA on the visit to the customs headquarters, congratulated the Ag. CGC on his appointment by President Bola Ahmad Tinubu.
He thanked the customs boss for the establishment of the CCC, which as part of its mandate has succeeded in bringing peace to the once embattled foremost customs agents association.
“The Council has been able to put back ANLCA on the rail after having a long time of experiencing hot fracas, with the intervention of the Ag. Comptroller General of Customs, the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents has embraced a collaborative peace.”
Amongst the delegation was the Vice President, Prince Segun Oduntan, BOT Chairman, Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha, National Secretary, Fakunle Olumide, Assistant Financial Secretary, Theo Nze; and others.