MONROVIA – The National Customs Brokers Association of Liberia has suspended nine of its members for their alleged involvement in illegal activities.
By: Christopher C. Walker 0777898224/0886723075 [email protected]
Addressing a news conference, the president of the National Customs Brokers Association of Liberia, James Hinnwh, said Yusufu Sheriff, Alphonso Barcon, Aloysius Garjay, Varney Jalebah, Isaac Bestman, Peter G. Johnson and Lawrence Nyemah have all been suspended for time indefinite by the Association.
Their suspension, according to Hinneh, followed an investigation by the Board of Inquiry which, among other things, tracked the work and activities of all brokers of the Association.
The tough-talking NCBL president told reporters at a news conference that eight of the nine trained and legal brokers were engaged in fraudulent declaration while others received consignees’ money but failed to deliver the respective cargoes.
The unwholesome act by the suspended brokers has put some business people out of business while others were forced to get into unnecessary debts.
Lawrence Nyemah was found to be a fake broker who is not a member of the Association and does not have a license or Identification card to operate but he continues to act as an original customs broker.
“Lawrence has been arrested several times, put in jail, and later on released but is still carrying out the same bad practice as such we call on the National security to do the needful,” President Hinneh noted.
James told the media that the suspended brokers will remain suspended until national security can conclude their investigations before any other decision will be taken.
The move, he stressed, is to weed out the bad apples from the good ones at the Association and to send a warning to would-be offenders.
“Our action is to send a clear message that we do not support fraudulent acts,” he emphasized.
Mr. Hinneh, while pledging the Association’s commitment to fighting fraud and other unwholesome practices, called on relevant stakeholders to support them in the process.
He at the same time urged the public to work with them by not doing any business with anyone who will claim to be a broker without valid identification cards including a license from the Liberia Revenue Authority.