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| National President ANLCA, Alhaji Olayiwola Shittu |
The
Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has demanded that it
should be remunerated like other government agencies in order to boost revenues
generated by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has demanded that it
should be remunerated like other government agencies in order to boost revenues
generated by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The National
President of ANLCA, Alhaji Olayiwola Shittu, stated this in an interview in
Lagos.
President of ANLCA, Alhaji Olayiwola Shittu, stated this in an interview in
Lagos.
He said that
such financial incentive from the government to the agents would encourage
their members to do more work and pay in more customs duty.
such financial incentive from the government to the agents would encourage
their members to do more work and pay in more customs duty.
“It is the
customs agents that advise importers on the need to bring their cargoes through
the regular ports and not by smuggling. So, they add value in making sure that
Nigerian ports are patronised.
customs agents that advise importers on the need to bring their cargoes through
the regular ports and not by smuggling. So, they add value in making sure that
Nigerian ports are patronised.
“If the
agent is remunerated by the Federal Government, chances are, your patriotic
zeal will be enhanced more with the government because you have an interest.
agent is remunerated by the Federal Government, chances are, your patriotic
zeal will be enhanced more with the government because you have an interest.
“And when
we look at it, Nigeria as it is today, we are more like commissioned agents to
government. We are generating revenue; customs is collecting the revenue and
domiciling it with the banks; the banks will forward it to Central Bank.
we look at it, Nigeria as it is today, we are more like commissioned agents to
government. We are generating revenue; customs is collecting the revenue and
domiciling it with the banks; the banks will forward it to Central Bank.
“All other
consultants and agents to government are remunerated; and that is why we say,
if we can work so hard to be able to get up to N800 billion for customs, we can
do more because the catch is, we are the interface with the importer.
consultants and agents to government are remunerated; and that is why we say,
if we can work so hard to be able to get up to N800 billion for customs, we can
do more because the catch is, we are the interface with the importer.
“The
importer needs us to assist them. But we also owe it a duty to Federal
Government that gave us licence through customs, to make sure that optimum
collection is made by customs.”
importer needs us to assist them. But we also owe it a duty to Federal
Government that gave us licence through customs, to make sure that optimum
collection is made by customs.”
The ANLCA
President said that the freight forwarding associations had urged the
government to give them a percentage of the revenue which was hitherto being
collected by the erstwhile service providers.
President said that the freight forwarding associations had urged the
government to give them a percentage of the revenue which was hitherto being
collected by the erstwhile service providers.
He said it
would not be too much for the agents to have a share of the 1 per cent
Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS) charges which the government
still collected.
would not be too much for the agents to have a share of the 1 per cent
Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS) charges which the government
still collected.
Shittu said
the request could be supported with the fact that the associations had taken
additional responsibility of helping with classification, directing Importers
and agents on what was expected of them.
the request could be supported with the fact that the associations had taken
additional responsibility of helping with classification, directing Importers
and agents on what was expected of them.
He said that
task had made them to increase their training programmes to be abreast of new
regulations, customs notices and guidelines in preparation of customs
documents.
task had made them to increase their training programmes to be abreast of new
regulations, customs notices and guidelines in preparation of customs
documents.
