Tyre market begins membership accreditation to enhance value

One year after it relocated operations from Enu- Owa Idumota in Lagos Island to commence business at African Tyre Village inside the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, along Badagry Expressway, Association of Nigeria Tyre Marketers (ANTM) says it has commenced a systematic accreditation and registration of its permanent members.

The exercise, which will take cognizance of the various contributions and commitments by the individual traders to the success of the association, will serve as useful instrument for rewarding loyalty and good followership among its members.

Mohammed Issa Akanbi, president of ANTM, who said this during the association’s first anniversary celebration held in Lagos to mark one year of their relocation to the international shopping edifice, used the occasion to appreciate all the members for sharing and identifying with the visions of his administration.

“If anyone calls himself a leader with no one following him, such person is merely taking a walk. Whatever success we are celebrating here today was made possible through the support and followership of those of you who believed in us, made several sacrifices and continually followed us wholeheartedly right from the conception of the African Tyre Village vision, without listening to discordant voices. You all can testify that our efforts are not in vain, and all those who thought we will soon run back to Idumota are now jostling to join us here.

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”But we the exco members are not fools. So, we must consider our loyal members first when allocating those new shops there. May I also announce to you that we are kick starting a systematic accreditation and registration of our permanent members, which will form the  criteria for identifying and consequently rewarding credible members for their loyalty and good followership.
“I know all my members and that is why I will personally decide who and who will make the permanent members register list after due consideration of individual’s contributions and commitments to the growth and success of this association, Akanbi said.

Most of the traders who spoke at the occasion described their one-year experience at Africa Tyre Village as divine blessing of God which transcends human imaginations.
Secretary to the association Sefiu Lawal Olaiya, while enumerating the gains and achievements of the traders since opening shop at Trade Fair on January 20, 2014, noted high sales turnover by individual traders, transformation from tenants to landlords, peaceful and beautiful business environment, security of life and property, space and freedom to operate, among many other benefits.

The vice president Okey Ezeifeoma however acknowledged that the past one year was not devoid of challenges, which include insufficient shops for members, and therefore urged traders to be patient and consistent in their expectations as some of these teething problems will soon become a thing of the past.

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