Members of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) have again criticised the Federal Government over implementation of the new national automotive policy which hiked the import duty on imported vehicles from 10 per cent to 35 per cent and an additional surcharge of 35 per cent.
The ANLCA members restated their opposition to the controversial policy on Wednesday during a meeting between the national leaders and chapter executives of the association in Lagos.
“Members were very critical of the Federal Government’s policy on vehicle importation and its implication on sustenance, its effect on licensed Customs Agents job and the general public, which was seen as impacting negatively on Nigerians.
“It was noted that as much as the policy is not for agents to contest, the fact that Agents are part of a larger society, meant that such policy needed to be reappraised by the Federal Government, in the interest of Nigerians generally.
“This is against the backdrop of the policy’s negative effects on jobs/unemployment and the general welfare of the ordinary Nigerians.
“Further actions on the policy were contemplated. These are the need for immediate sensitization, collaboration and synergizing with other stakeholders, for ANLCA to present a position to the Federal Government.
“Importantly, possible extreme actions were discouraged because of the precarious security situation in the country presently,” Director of Media and Publicity to the National President of ANLCA, Joe Sanni, said in a statement sent to SHIPS & PORTS DAILY.
On plans by Nigerian Shippers’ Council to raise the minimum share capital of freight forwarding companies with a view to consolidating their operations as reported exclusively by SHIPS & PORTS DAILY in its edition of Tuesday 3rd June, 2014; Sanni said “it was decided that there is need to dialogue with the relevant stakeholders in order to resolve the festering problems.”
He said the licensed customs agents overwhelmingly supported the determination to immediately move into the permanent secretariat of ANLCA.
“This, they did by practically demonstrating their support by contributing financially on the spot, in order to complete the renovation work at the permanent secretariat,” he said.
The meeting, which was presided over by the association’s National President, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, was attended by its top executive members including the Zonal Coordinator of the Western Zone, Sir John Ofobike and his Eastern Zone counterpart, Chief Dennis Okwu.
Shittu informed the gathering that the pre-arrival assessment report (PAAR) introduced last year by the Nigeria Customs Service as the import clearing platform has come to stay.
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