The new exchange rate for the import duty calculation as determined by the Nigeria Customs Service on August 1, 2016 has sharply divided the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) as the two principal officers of the association took different position on the matter,
It will be recalled that the Nigerian Customs Service had on July one pegged the exchange rate for import duty calculation at N282 naira, an action which sparked off protest among the licensed customs agents.
Surprisingly, one month after the N282 rate, the maritime community woke up to a new exchange rate of N313 on August 1 following the crashing of Naira against the United States Dollar in the foreign exchange market last week, thus prompting agents to leave the customs commands in anger and frustration.
Reacting to the development, the National Publicity Secretary of ANLCA, Dr. Kayode Farinto described the development as absurd, wrong and barbaric considering the fact that many importers had done their transactions and opened their Form the exchange rate of N282.
Farinto informed that the action would surely have its backlash effect as according to him, the federal government was taking the people for a ride.
He therefore called on all the leaders in the nation’s maritime industry to come together and fight what he called injustice by the Buhari administration even as he called on the maritime journalists to be part of the struggle as they were all stakeholders in the industry.
He said,” We woke up this morning to see that Nigeria Customs has for the second time change the exchange rate to N313 for all declarations. This is absurd, wrong and barbaric considering the fact that many importers have done their transactions and opened their Form Mat N282. This will sure have its backlash effect because the government is actually taking people for a ride. Leaders in the maritime industry for once need to come together to fight this injustice. As maritime reporters, be informed that you need to be part of this struggle since we are all stakeholders in the industry”.
But in a swift reaction in an interview with Primetime Reporters, the National President of ANLCA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu disclosed that ANLCA has not discussed nor take position on the issue of the new exchange rate for duty calculation by customs even as he said that withdrawal of service was not the for them as it had not solved any problem in the past.
While exonerating the service for the current exchange rate pegged at N313, as it was not responsible for monetary policy issues in the country, Shittu however opined that it was very wrong for customs to apply the prevailing rate for the treatment of cargo noting that it should be calculated at the prevailing rate when the Form M was opened even as he said that there was a circular to the effect in 2011 which had not been repealed.
According to him,” We have not really sat down, we have not had the expanded NECOM (National Executive Committee Meeting) or a NEC (National Executive Council) meeting to discuss that. But you know, I will not be surprised because our Publicity Secretary is a politician. We are all aware when APC was to come in, even when all the people were against what APC stands for, he was one of those who stood by APC, he was one of those who were ready to fight anybody that talk against APC. Now, he himself is personally against APC. That is politics.
“What you see me discussing is what I feel is the professional reality not as a politician. But if that I his position, we will call a meeting. Everybody will rob minds. Withdrawal of service is not the best for us because anytime you withdraw your service, demurrage is accruing and you still have to pay but what has always been the end result because our only weapon has been let us withdraw service, how many people can you carry along?
“”But if majority say no, we must withdraw, they should be able to physically withdraw not when we say we are withdrawing because we are not trade union, we are not backed by the trade union law. We are an association of free minds which means anyone could say, which association will tell me not to work? I am going to work to go and carry my load, what happens?
“But it is very wrong for customs to apply the prevailing rate for the treatment of cargo. It should be the prevailing rate when the Form M was opened. We had a circular to that effect in 2011 and it has not been repealed”.
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