ANLCA PRESIDENT VISITS PTML, INTRODUCES NEW EXCO TO COMMAND’S AREA CONTROLLER
***As Ascanio Russo and team consider upward review of tariff
By Mcanthony Onuoha
The National President of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents -ANLCA, Mr. Kingsley Emenike Nwokeoji and his team, on Wednesday, the 26th of March, 2025, paid an official visit to PTML Command.
ANLCA PRESIDENT, MR. KINGSLEY EMENIKE NWOKEOJI AND THE VICE PRESIDENT, PRINCE SEGUN ODUNTAN, DURING THE OFFICIAL VISIT TO PTML COMMAND
The National President and members of the National Working Committee (NECOM) were warmly received by the Chairman of ANLCA, PTML Chapter, Chief Sunday Charles Nwariene, and all Chapter Executive amid pomp and funfair.
The National President of ANLCA, clad in expertly tailored white ‘senator’ attire with a red chieftaincy cap to match, led the newly inaugurated Chapter Executive to the Customs Area Controller of PTML Command, Compt. TM Daniyan, who received him and the Chapter Executive in his office.
Nwokeoji assured the CAC that the new chapter leadership would partner with his team, stressing the need for collaboration.
In his response, the Controller, expressed great delight over the august visit. He pledged to always collaborate with the new Exco, saying that his officers would continue to partner with them. The Executive Director of Directorate of States Services (DSS), PTML Command, and the representative of NDLEA, pledged to collaborate with Licenced Customs Agents to curb Import crimes
The CAC disclosed that the Customs High Command had directed that henceforth, all Form-Ms must be generated on B’ ODOGWU for the issuance of PARR and said that PTML, Tincan and Apapa Commands would no longer issue Form -Ms on NICIS. The CAC confirmed that over 27 Banks have connected to B’Odogwu but stated that the already generated Form -Ms should still be in use until there is a contrary directive to that effect.
He assured that the command was ready to organize a session for capacity building to train ANLCA members and other practitioners on how to generate Form-M on B’Odogwu platform.
Compt. Daniyan expressed concern over some practitioners whose request for manual/provisional Release were granted to save them from incurring additional costs due to the teething challenges experienced during the test run of B’Odogwu, but are yet to pay come and make payment. According to the CAC, these Licenced Customs agents who were granted concessions promised to come back and pay, but have not done as promised. He appealed to the leaderships of all maritime associations to advise their members to reciprocate the Command’s kind gesture by coming forward to make the payments, saying that doing that would forestall imminent arrest and prosecution.
Responding, Mr. Nwokeoji requested the list of agencies that reneged, assuring the CAC that ANLCA would get involved in the matter as agencies that have not fulfilled their own side of the bargain would be compelled to do the needful. According to Compt. Daniyan, almost N200,000,000 in duty value is yet to be recovered from the agencies.
In the same vein, the National Working Committee of ANLCA and the new Chapter Executive also had an interactive session with the management of Ports and Terminals Multi Services Limited -PTML, where they were warmly received by the Managing Director, Mr. Ascanio Russo and his team. The President of ANLCA requested the management to find a way to relax their strict gate pass policy to allow more agents access into their facilities to do their jobs. Again, Mr. Nwokeoji assured Mr. Russo of ANLCA’s continuous partnership and urged the management to always carry stakeholders along in all their decisions.
Responding, Mr. Ascanio Russo, sought stakeholders collaboration. He disclosed that the PTML spends so much to maintain its status of model Port, and promised that they would continue to render quality services to clients.
Meanwhile, Mr. Russo acknowledged the hard economic situation but went ahead and disclosed that the management was still considering new increase in tariff effective in the nearest future, but would consult with relevant stakeholders before coming up with a final decision. In his reaction, the ANLCA President urged the management to make sure stakeholders are duly engaged before taking any drastic decision, saying that issues around tariff increment should be handled with utmost care. Russo congratulated the new chapter Executive and assured them of collaboration. He promised to look into all the requests made by the association, including issues around container refund, which he said had already been resolved.
