LUCKY LAWAL
Hon. Tony Iju Nwanbunike has expressed doubt about Nigeria’s readiness for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which agreement is due to kick start in March, 2020.
The number one Customs broker, who is also the National President of the Association of Nigeria Licenced Custom Agents, (ANLCA), has actually said Nigeria is not ready for the much talked about AFCFTA. He said this on Monday as a guest during a round table discussion with Members of the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) at the Nigerian Maritime Press Centre in Apapa, Lagos State
The ANLCA President lamented that, today Nigeria can only boost of petroleum as the only export item.
“If we are to compete with South Africa, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, etc, which produces so many products in a market that is borderless; that is the area I want the Federal Government of Nigeria to look at instead of total closure of the land borders” he said.
Tony Iju also said that if Nigeria has to benefit from the AfCFTA, the Federal government should look at agriculture and see how we can maximize our agricultural products for exports.
“Let me tell you, Nigeria is not ready for the AfCFTA agreement and it is going to be very difficult for us. We are going to face a lot of challenges. You see, it is more dangerous for people to see you as the giant of Africa, but when it comes to trading you cannot fit into it.
“I want the Federal government, through the Minister of Agriculture, to look at agriculture. I went on a sensitisation tour of Kaduna/ Kano last week. In Kaduna, I was shocked to see a lot of crops we will be exporting from that axis but the farmers need government incentives, encouragement and supports.
“In the AfCFTA agreement, we need a balance of trade. But if you are not exporting anything apart from petroleum, then your country will become a dumping ground. The other African countries know we have the market and the population, so we need to brace up for the challenges.
I want the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and other agricultural bodies to see this agreement as an opportunity to export Nigerian made products”.
Narrating the crisis that is rocking the Association, the ANLCA President said he still holding meetings and hoped a reconciliation will come very soon.
Despite the crises, the ANLCA National President also informed the Maritime journalists that in his over a year as president, he has used his connections and goodwill to unblock over 300 licenses of his members which were blocked by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) before he took over.
Nwabunnike said the licences were blocked before his assumption of office as President of ANLCA.
According to him, he used persuasion and his long standing closeness to the Customs Service for it to review its decision on the blocked licenses.
He added that the hitherto blocked licenses prevented its owners from doing their freight forwarding businesses, a situation that caused hardship and was capable of promoting unemployment in the sector.
He also told reporters that his association recently sponsored ten persons abroad on some “Train the Trainer” courses .
He said some of his members have also gone on training abroad . According to him, ” Six of them just returned from Brussels while another four of his members just completed their training in the United States and are back to take on train -the- trainer with other members in the country.
He described some alleged internal rumblings by a few members of ANLCA National Executive Committee (NECOM) as parts of effort at resisting change. He also said ANLCA Secretariat under his watch has become more functional with increased documentation coupled with higher degree of discipline and that full internet services are restored for members to do their businesses through the Secretariat.
He further disclosed that he is leading his association to sponsor a bill at the National Assembly for the establishment of a Chartered Institute of Customs Brokers of Nigeria ( CICBN). The CIBN bill according to him will increase practitioners knowledge and improve on their standards as distinct professionals in the transport chain