…Says agency lacks power to make import policy
The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has accused the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) of gradually taking the responsibility of the Federal Ministry of Finance by its efforts at delving into regulating and control of imports into the country.
The association which made its position known in a press release issued by its National Publicity Secretary (NPS), Dr. Kayode Farinto in Lagos Thursday condemned SON’s insistence that importers must obtain import permit from its office before embarking on importation of goods into the country describing it as not too good for an open economy like Nigeria.
Farinto maintained that SON’s responsibility was to ensure standard for goods entering into the country from other climes and not to formulate import policy for the country referring the agency to the Ministry of Finance’s guidelines on importation.
He frowned at the organization’s mode of operation on documentation of imports lately which he said had been described as a clog in the wheel of progress in the nation’s maritime industry which according to him was impeding facilitation of legitimate trade in Nigeria.
The ANLCA NPS recalled that during the tenure of the former Comptroller-General of Customs, Alhaji Dikko Inde Abdullahi, the service launched a trade portal where every government agency having automated their system keyed into adding that there was a Ministerial order which directed that SON would only be invited by the customs personnel where necessary even as he noted that the latest development had shown that the agency had jettisoned that initial understanding.
“The difficulty that all importers of regulated items go through is an eyesore because it takes about one thousand, five hundred dollar to get product Certificate from SON appointed agencies abroad and the process of opening e-Form M bow is not only cumbersome but highly difficult particularly for regulated products/items.
“Furthermore, after many of them managed to open this Form M, it still takes thousands of dollars to get a SONCAP Certificate and where this is eventually obtained, licensed customs agents are expected to validate this SONCAP in their offices in Nigeria while about N7, 000 (Seven thousand Naira) is paid on every forty footer containers to SON and N3, 000 (Three thousand Naira) for every Twenty Equivalent Unit (TEU). The question that readily comes to mind is whether SON is interested in regulating these products or the money that accrues to her on most of these imports.
“The annoying part of it is this SON’ system of arrogating powers that they do not have, this is because we now have a situation where SON now writes to importers of imported vehicles and used items. A sample of such letter which emanated from the Inspectorate and Compliance Directorate of the agency is attached to this write up where the agency detained truck and used containerized items before it was eventually released to the owners. The letter also states that ‘Used Automobiles are not exempted from SONCAP requirement’ which is far from the truth.
“What can SON regulate on used item? SON is gradually encroaching on sensitive area, that is regulating and control of imports which is the responsibility of the Federal Ministry of Finance all in the name regulating and controlling products. Meanwhile, sub-standard goods are entering the country on daily basis at the porous borders and SON is looking the other way or conniving with these smugglers particularly importers of cables and the few patriotic Nigerians that managed to come through the ports legitimately are being frustrated on daily basis”, he said.
He therefore called on the Nigeria Customs Management team to review the trade portal and monitor the activities of various agencies adding that the call had become imperative in view of the negative effects SON’s activities had on import generally.
According to him,” Nigerians will recall that the CGC complained about few weeks ago that the FOREX policy of CBN is affecting her revenue generation but we say with all facts that SON’s modus operandi on documentation of imports is also a contributing factor to why revenue continues to nosedive in the industry. The Federal Ministry of Finance is hereby called upon to as a matter of urgency wade into this situation before things gets out of control. We all know that there is a lull in business in the industry and that imports have been dropping due to many factors which ought to be addressed but left undone.
“SON should not take ANLCA’s collaborative efforts to mean that we will fold our arms to acts of illegalities and excesses of the agency. We stand to be corrected but challenge the idea of saying that importers must come for imports permit which is not too good for an open economy. SON is for standard and not for imports policy, please check Ministry of Finance’s guidelines on importation. A stitch in time saves nine”.
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