By Uzor Odigbo
Erstwhile President of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Hon. Iju Tony Nwabunike, has described Acting Customs Comptroller General Bashir Adewale Adeniyi as ‘a tested hand’ ready to improve the maritime sector in general and freight forwarders in particular.
Nwabunike said this was because Adeniyi remains “a tested hand any day any time”, having been in the maritime industry for decades as customs officer.
Nwabunike described Adeniyi as a seasoned customs officer who has the industry in his palms.
He said that what the administration of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu did in appointing Adeniyi as Customs CG has been the prayer of customs agents over the decades.
According to him, it was the dream of the industry to have a career customs officer to take the position of CG, adding that this was for obvious reasons.
He said that with this, the customs boss having been in the system can easily understand the problems of importers and their customs agents when they appeal to him for intervention.
Nwabunike added that it was even better for the government to have a career officer as CG who knows everything about the sector and cannot be cheated.
He called on members of ANLCA and other freight forwarders to give the new CG the desired cooperation to succeed.
Nwabunike also advised all customs agents to shun involvement in any form of malpractices in order to be free from any issues with the customs.
He explained that this was even moreso considering the new customs administration which has come to introduce a new order as against the old order.
According to him, Adeniyi has come with new order, saying his regime is one that has a listening ear as against what was the case before now.
He said that with this development, it is going to be easy for the new ANLCA executive headed by Chief Emenike Nwokeoji