ANLCA BoT rejects CRFFN’s resolution on way forward out of association’s crisis

The over four- years leadership crisis rocking the association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) deepened on Sunday as the Registered Board of Trustees (BoT) of the association led by Alh Taiwo Mustapha kicked against the resolutions reached by the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) to resolve the lingering crisis in the association.

CRFFN Governing Board Chairman, Tsanni Abubakar, had in a statement issued on Sunday directed the Taiwo Mustapha-led faction and the National Executive Committee (NECOM) of ANLCA led by Kayode Farinto to set up a fresh BoT which would constitute four members from each side.

The statement signed by the Chairman, Committee on Media and Publicity of the Council, Mr Muftahu Ya”u, also directed the Acting President of the association, Mr. Kayode Farinto to call for an Annual General Meeting (AGM) at a venue chosen by the CRFFN.

Part of the resolutions as contained in the statement reads, “That the Association’s Annual General Meeting be convened immediately; That the composition of the Board of Trustees of the Association be nine members; That each of the two aggrieved parties shall nominate four members to serve as their representatives on the Board of Trustees; That the ninth member of the Board of Trustees be elected at the Annual General Meeting.

“That the Council Chairman and the Acting Registrar will attend the Annual General Meeting to oversee the conduct of the Annual General Meeting; That it is hoped that the aforementioned measures would help resolve the lingering crisis; That the Annual General Meeting be convened at a venue to be provided by the Council.

“In light of the above, the Council Chairman Dr. Abubakar Tsanni has directed the Acting President of the Association, Dr. Kayode Farinto to convene an Annual General Meeting which should have in attendance all members of the Association on Thursday, 2nd March, 2023 by 11: am at Oriental Hotel Lagos.”

However, the Taiwo Mustapha-led BoT, has expressed dismay with the position of the CRFFN, describing the directive by the CRFFN Board Chairman that Kayode Farinto call for an AGM as illegal.

Speaking with Maritime Today Online, a member of the ANLCA BoT who spoke on the condition of anonymity said the CRFFN resolution cannot hold given that there is an already established and duly registered BoT whose responsibility it is to call for an AGM.

Speaking, he said, “How can the resolution work? Does CRFFN have legitimacy over something legal? When there is an existing board by registration and law. Can CRFFN just dissolve that? It cannot work. The Chairman will respond appropriately. When we meet, we will take a decision on that.”

Also speaking, Acting National Publicity Secretary of ANLCA, Frances Ituah accused the CRFFN Board Chairman of compromise in his purported bid to resolve the crisis in the association.

According to him, “The way the CRFFN Board Chairman is going shows that he is taking sides with Henry Njoku and Kayode Farinto. Henry Njoku is the Vice Chairman of the CRFFN board and he is an interested member of this ANLCA problem so also Kayode Farinto, who is also a member of the CRFFN

“It is not possible for Farinto to conduct AGM because according to ANLCA constitution it is the ANLCA board that calls for AGM not the President, talk less of an expired Acting President.

“The Chairman of the committee on resolution of the ANLCA crisis, Alh Abba Yusuf has been pressured not to release his report because it was not favorable to the duo of Henry Njoku and Kayode Farinto.

“If the report is not ready, I don’t know how the Chairman of CRFFN board will give a resolution without giving the report of the committee.

“At the same time, the CRFFN has no power to unseat a sitting board member, it is only the court of law. At the moment in the ANLCA Board, there are only two vacancies. Henry Njoku and Peter Obi are still living members of the board according to CAC status. So, I don’t know where CRFFN got the numbers of four from this side and four from the other sides to serve as representatives on the BoT.”