By Ajibola Adedoye
Members of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Tincan Island Chapter has risen to protest the recent increment in Customs Duty which has been effective since Friday, February 2, 2024,
Comrade Onome Joy Monije, Public Relations Officer of ANLCA Tincan Chapter also used the opportunity to appealed to all concerned authorities to find a better way of generating revenue without creating a massive hole in the pocket of the masses whom are already groaning in pains of the current excruciating economic downturn in the country.
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In an exclusive interview with Daily Insight Nigeria, Comrade Monije while urging the government to consider common Nigerians in their policy formulation said “increment of Customs Duty from #956 to #1, 413.62 is too high and unreasonable hence stakeholders should always be part of their deliberations so that they can liaise with their people on the reason behind their actions which will allow them enough time for what’s to come”.
Comrade Monije who also doubles as the Chief Executive Officer of Onas100 Resources Nigeria Limited noted that
“maritime trade is an international business which takes minimum of 30 days to prosecute with lots of planning and procedure, said “for instance if I’ve planned to transact a particular business with 50 million naira and my goods is almost in Nigeria after freight and shipping from abroad, and just about five days for me to receive my goods here we heard that they have increased the rate, unlike before that it will be increased by like ten or twenty naira, this time around it was increased by more than four hundred naira per dollar, how do I cope in such a situation?” she queried.
“Before we are complaining of high shipping charges and terminals that is why we have our money ready to clear the goods, now the goods is here and you are ready to pay your duty but the current duty rate is so high with the current situation on ground.
“We are through with customs and because of the high rate we cannot meet shipping and terminal. At the end of the day, it still come back to the masses
According to her, “since the increment and Monday being the first working day after the announcement, how many people actually punched and paid? Everybody is watching. If you do assessment and you don’t pay, they will block you, so nobody is even ready to risk his agency, especially when the consignee has not given the go ahead. As I speak, I have somebody who paid me for 5 vehicles on Grande Abidjan that suppose to berth on February 4th, if they have keyed the vessel I would have assess and paid, now I cannot assess because the vessel has not been keyed by the shipping line with the arrival date shifted till February 9th, the man paid me in time to avoid incurring demurrage. I’ve sent him a message notifying him of the latest development, obviously I cannot pay without the man adding up and to protect my integrity I have to refund the man except miracle happens and their is deducting in the rate before February 9th that we are expecting the ship to berth. What this imply is that I’m also losing money.
“The increment is having its toll on the masses because what you are clearing with #2.5million before this time, you are using #5million to clear it. It is either the Customs wants to reduce their FOB value, for instance if we are suppose to pay #2500 as FOB when exchange rate was #951 and Customs wants to help, instead of giving us at #2500, they can now adjust their FOB to #2000 in order to cushion the effect of increase in price”.