…Kicks against Transport Ministry’s approval of the Fee’s collection
Following the approval granted by the Federal Ministry of Transport to the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) to immediately commence the collection of the Practitioners’ Operating Fee (POF), the President, National Council of Managing Directors of Customs Licensed Agents (NCMDLCA), Mr. Lucky Amiwero has written President Muhammadu Buhari requesting the stoppage and cancellation of the fee.
Amiwero who had earlier written to the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) on this issue, maintained that the collection negated the rule of law that was the cardinal principle of this administration.
He pointed out that the association’s stand on the outright cancellation of the fee was informed by the fact that the fee was illegal as it was not provided for in the Act establishing the Council informing that what the Act provided for was the Annual practicing Fees.
According to him,” We hereby draw the attention of His Excellency of the illegal approval by the Ministry of Transport for the collection of Practitioners’ Operating Fees that is not covered under any existing law in the country.
“The Practitioners’ Operating fee is illegal as it is not the fee allowed to be collected in Act. The only recognized fee to be collected is the Annual Practicing Fees as contained in the Act and not practitioners’ operating fee that has no provision in the Act.
The Council tenure expired by November 2012, which by federal High Court ruling cannot exercise any function until the body is constituted, the collection by the staff of the Council contravenes provision of the Act and the High Court Ruling”.
Amiwero who is also the Managing Director of Eyis Resources further disclosed that the collection of practicing fee was cancelled at the ports by the Federal government due to its negative implication to the economy saying that the approval were some of the illegal actions taken by the past administration in contravention of the laws, especially when the collection was not tied to any service either as government revenue or for service rendered by an organization operating in the port.
He continued,” All revenue collection in the port must be backed by law and tied to services. As a member and Sub-Committee chairman on the Taskforce for the Review of Port Charges in Nigeria, all collected charges must be backed by statutory provision of the law, If it is government revenue and tied to service if it is for private operators.
“The Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria is not rendering any service in the port but increasing the high cost of the ports cost by such illegal approval which is not in agreement with our domestic law or international protocols of fees and charges connected to import and export under WTO Articles VIII that must be tied to services.
The Nigeria Port parades the highest number of charges that are not tied to services and the most expensive within the sub-region. We hereby request for total stoppage and cancellation of the illegal fees, which negate the rule of law that is the cardinal principle of this administration”.
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