National President of the Association, Prince Olayiwola Shittu who made the appeal at a stakeholders meeting with top management of customs held in Apapa yesterday said that the issuance of license by Customs to foreigners especially to Lebanese and Asians is in contrast to what is obtained in the international community including West African countries.
“We discover that in the Asian and Arab countries, the ownership of customs license rest on the indigenous person who convincingly prove that he has not less than 80 to 90 percent of the shares of the company. Now the Lebanese people have more access to the Area Controllers more than us. But that competition has to give way for Nigerians to own customs license in their own country just like it is in the rest African countries and elsewhere including America and England”, he said.
He said that the practice if not reviewed by the Service may force many agents out of business.
While pledging the association’s commitment to the ongoing reforms in the Service including the launch of the Pre- Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) and the Nigeria Trade Hub portal, Shittu disclosed that the Association has developed a software that will enable them pay customs duty and other charges at the ports using debit cards in order to avoid human contact relationship within the ports.
“I will like to inform you that ANLCA has developed a software which we are coming to present to you through Inter-Switch Nigeria Limited. These are the people involved with the banks and central bank about movement of money. We want to be able to use our card to pay duty, terminal charges and shipping companies so that interface relationship in the ports will disappear”, he said.
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