Mr Tony Nwabunike, National President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), on Sunday prayed for the security of Nigeria’s developing transport infrastructure.
Nwabunike made this known in his Easter message to licensed customs brokers, freight forwarders and other stakeholders in the total logistics chain in Nigeria.
He also urged everyone to continually pray for Nigeria, especially in the area of security as well as for the release of fellow countrymen and women held by terrorists.
According to him, the recent attack on Kaduna bound train is one attack too many on Nigeria’s developing transport infrastructure.
“This threaten the growing hope we have in moving cargoes from seaports to the hinterland and sets back the anticipated seamlessness that cargoes ought to have moved from Lagos and Port Harcourt to Kano and Kaduna States.
“Insecurity in Nigeria touches everyone in adverse ways, we can’t pretend about it. It has driven the cost of doing business higher, increased time spent, reduced returns on investments and affected the joy of many.
“Our ports are not properly utilised if import and export cargoes suffer clogs in the logistics chain. From the farmer of export produce whose field is occupied by terrorists to the dockworkers waiting to assist in the loading and unloading of cargoes, we are all involved,” he said.
Nwabunike said that their collective interest was in the cargo movement because from it government revenue was gotten, remuneration for employees made, service charges collected and profit from warehousing and sales are obtained.
“With these in mind, I call on the government, especially politicians at the helm of affairs, not to be subsumed by the hysteria of present campaigns and forget that some citizens are away with kidnappers this Easter season.
“Let’s supplicate for victory from God in favour of our armed forces who stay awake and alert at all times to keep us safe. Their victory is our safety
“We are entitled to being happy because we are part of a blessed country, whose true potentials are yet to be fully harnessed for collective benefits.
“While we (Christians) are rounding off our fasting, our Muslim brethren are continuing with the prayer chain. Let’s hold on to the lessons from Christ this season and always,” he said.
The ANLCA president noted that sacrifice and self-denial, loyalty to the state, performing our civic responsibilities, loving ourselves, socializing with decency and looking up to God always should be paramount.
While felicitating with Christians on the Easter celebration, he urged them to note that Easter signifies a lot for mankind in different spheres – peace, sacrifice, loyalty, politics, economy and social areas.
“Potentials of a peaceful Nigeria are limitless and whenever or wherever peace is lost, the results includes instability and lack of a cohesive direction.
“Let’s not allow the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to redeem mankind, his loyalty to the cause for which he was sent, his example to us to pay our taxes ( giving to Caesar what belongs Caesar) and the fellowship with others through the last supper, to be lost on us as we celebrate.
“He also promoted peace when he stopped Peter from trying to resist his arrest and miraculously reinstated a chopped off ear during the period. This was a good example of peace, love and tolerance,” he said.
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