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By Steve Agbota
The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has called on the Federal Government to come to the aid of freight forwarders and Customs brokers over the incessant changes in fiscal and monetary policies affecting the international trade chain.
The foremost Customs brokers association, through its Acting National President, Dr Farinto Collins, made this known during its National Executive Council meeting held in Lagos.
He lamented that due to the removal of fuel subsidy and subsequent liberalisation of the exchange rate now determined by market forces, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has fixed the official exchange rate for imports at N589 per dollar which has led to an increase of about 45 per cent on import duty of vehicles and other consignments.
He further stated that the PTML terminal in Lagos has also signify its intentions to increase storage charges by 45 per cent, saying all these policies are affecting the Customs brokers who are generating the revenue.
However, the ANLCA acting boss appealed to the Federal Government to grant a 1 per cent discount out of the annual revenue collection to its coffers as a mitigant incentives to lessen the sufferings of Customs brokers in the country.
“Due to the policies of the new government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, which has removed fuel subsidy , the official foreign exchange rate which is now to be determined by market forces (that is willing buyer and willing seller ), and that on Friday the CBN changed our rate to N589 to a dollar and by this, the import duty on vehicles increased by about 45 per cent. While that of other consignments has also increased.
“Just this morning, PTML terminal has shown intention to increase her storage charges by about 45 per cent. I want to officially request for mitigants from the Federal Government for Customs brokers.
This becomes imperatives to ameliorate the sufferings of Customs brokers in Nigeria.
“This mitigants should be in form of incentives like giving us 1 per cent of money generated annually and other things to cushion the effect of this policies. I shall unvailed other mitigants that I think will be useful to us next week,” Farinto said.
He further explained that the 1 per cent revenue generated to be given to licensed Customs agents, adding that the Federal Government needs to look at the factors of calculating the Value Added Tax ( VAT) of 7.5 per cent in a way that value should only be calculated on Imports duty.
He added that if possible the 7 per cent Ports Development Levy should be scrapped because it was long overdue, having outlived its usefulness.
