…preaches unity, professionalism, ICT advancement, others
As the elections into national offices at the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) draws nearer, Chief Lawrence Chukwubunna Uba has thrown his hat into the ring to contest for the position of National Secretary even as he pledged to minimize extortion and unfair practices in freight forwarding.
Uba, who is also the Chief Executive of Legis Intergrated Services Limited, has served ANLCA in several capacities in the past and he describes the position of National Secretary at the association as one that requires experience and consistent improvement.
While declaring his interest during an exclusive chat with News Diet, Chief Uba stressed that his primary goal will be to enhance professionalism, better the lives of fellow practitioners and move the association to greater heights.
“Professional colleagues, my goal is to prove on what the Secretaries have done. I want to move ANLCA to another level; unite all the groups together and bring lasting peace and progress to the Association”
“I will focus on training and retraining of our members; solve the problem of incessant blocking of freight agents licenses by Nigeria Customs Service (NCS); harmonize our operations with shipping companies and terminal operators; curb frivolous demurrages and outrageous truck haulage cost by transporters; and extortion by government agencies and miscreants on the port access roads,” he told our correspondent.
Meanwhile, he posited that there is an existing gap in Information and Communication Technology (ICT) deployment at the association which he intends to address drawing from his previous trainings in the field.
His words: “The position of National Secretary of ANLCA is one that requires continuous improvement, building upon a foundation that has been laid and that is what I am going to do. One area that needs improvement is the deployment of ICT at the association.”
“I have been opportuned to go for trainings which will enable me fill the gap between the ICT in freight forwarding and train the trainees. I have been trained to train others in ICT. In fact, it was after one of such trainings under Prince Olayiwola Shittu that ANLCA secretariat got computerized.”
Uba, however, expressed delight that the position of National Secretary at the association has seen an appreciable degree of improvement over the years, eventhough he asserted that association’s website; utilization of emails and database must be improved upon.
Having joined ANLCA in 1998, he commenced leadership roles as a Committee Member of the Ethics and Discipline Committee, Apapa Chapter. He later served as the Assistant Secretary of ANLCA Ijora Chapter.
Uba also contested as the Secretary of the Ijora Chapter, won and served out two tenures before emerging the Vice Chairman of ANLCA Ijora Chapter and later, Chairman of ANLCA Ijora Chapter.
He has a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy obtained from Pontifical Urbanian University, Rome and a Diploma in Latin. Uba is an Associate of Certified Institute of Shipping and he holds a Certificate in ICT on Filling the professional Gap in train the Trainers.