The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has expressed its displeasure over the inability of its members and their principals to open Form M for importation of goods coming into the country.
The National Publicity Secretary of ANLCA, Dr. Kayode Farinto who made this known while briefing the newsmen on the outcome of the association’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting yesterday in Lagos stated that the development was against the directive of the President.
Farinto argued that even if the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) wanted to enthrone a disciplined monetary policy, the laid down procedures must be followed in doing that adding that a situation where importers could not open Form M for cargoes entering and exiting the country would amount to encouraging the importers to divert their consignments to the ports of the neighbouring countries.
According to him,” The National President has directed that a letter be sent to the Central Bank Governor so that he knows what our members are facing. As I talk to you now, there are over one thousand form M unprocessed because we were informed that most of the firms processing form M must go through the CBN and that has not been the process, that is not the procedure.
“Our members are finding it difficult to process their payment. So, we are frowning at that also. We are sending out a letter that will enable us have one on one with the CBN Governor, that is the letter will go out tomorrow (today)”.
The ANLCA NPS further disclosed that the association had noticed with dismay that some government agencies earlier directed by the former Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala to leave the nation’s seaports were now returning to the various seaports in the country describing the development as unacceptable.
He reiterated that,” we want to state unequivocally that ANLCA will not be too happy about it, we frown at that. We want to maintain that all the agencies that were spelt out in the directive are still expected to be in the ports and they are the Nigerian Customs Service, NDLEA, the Nigeria Police, and SSS. Any other agency that wants to operate in the ports need to go and follow the due process and don’t forget that there is a caveat that if any of the controlled products is to be cleared, the Nigeria Customs Service will invite the relevant agency.
“So, a situation where a security agency will now come back to the ports to further its nets, we will not tolerate it. We may even withdraw our services for that if this thing is not addressed on time because we have received a lot of complains from our members”
He continued,” We also noticed that NESREA (National Environmental Standard and Regulatory Agency) is here and there blocking cargoes in the seaports, writing customs to block cargoes. That is not the procedure. The procedure is if they are interested in any cargo, they will write to the Nigeria Customs Service.
“Normally, there are other international agencies that give them tips on particular cargoes, there are some categories of cargoes they always have interest in, cargoes like used television and some categories of raw materials. So, if they want to do it, they should follow the normal procedure not writing to stop cargo. You can write to Nigeria Customs Service that you want to be part of the examination.
“All the security agencies that are not supposed to be in the ports should not be in the ports and we have directed all our chapter chairmen to make sure that they go into their various terminals and work with their CACs. If you are not supposed to be in the ports, don’t be in the ports. If you want to go back to the ports, go back and take a letter or an approval”.
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