Business
THE President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Mr Tony Nwabunike, has called on the Federal Government to stop foreigners and some Nigerian Customs officers who have allegedly taken over the freight forwarding business.
Nwabunike made the call during his visit to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Office in Lagos.
The Customs agent said that he knew that the battle of wrestling the freight forwarding jobs was going to be a herculean task.
The ANLCA chief said that there was need to take back the jobs from foreigners and some Customs officers.
He said that some Customs officers were actually parading themselves as freight forwarders and had the licence to work.
“We need to determine who is supposed to be a licensed Customs agent and not every Tom, Dick and Harry.
“We need to know whether the Corporate Affairs Commission has registered them and their status,’’ Nwabunike said.
According to him, it is very disheartening to see Lebanese, Gabonese, Ghanaians and even neighbouring Togolese nationals working in our ports and doing freight forwarding business.
“All over the world, you cannot see any foreigner working in a special part of the port of any nation.
“We (ANLCA) need to carry out a census of who is who in our ports, in conjunction with the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Customs Service, to know who are actually the licensed customs agents,’’ he said.
The ANLCA chief also said that the association was prepared to join hands with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) to reduce cargo clearance charges.
“You know, it is a legal issue but I think that what we should do is to join hands with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in making sure that those charges are brought down.
“Our clients, the importers of goods and services, are actually looking forward to this,’’ Nwabunike said.
The Customs agent also reacted to the automotive policy which many stakeholders had faulted.
In 2015, the Federal Government increased the import duty and levy on imported vehicles to 70 per cent, up from 20 per cent duty and two per cent levy, in order to promote local assembly companies.
Nwabunike said that the association would look at the demand of Nigerians vis-a- vis cars that were supposed to be commercial, and not luxury cars and trucks.
“We are going to ask the Federal Government to look into the automotive policy as it affects common Nigerians and dialogue with the government on that,’’ he said.
