Youths Accuse Leaders Of Freight Forwarding Associations Over Multiple Taxations In Cargo Clearance
Youths at Tin Can Island Port have accused leaders of various associations in the cargo clearance and freight forwarding practice over failure to address multiple tariff from the federal and state governments.
The youths said leaders of the associations, especially, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and others have failed to duly represent the younger practice in line with clearance of goods urging them to live up to their responsibilities as role models.
They also alleged that leaders of the associations are conniving with government agencies to milk freight agents in the logistics supply chain.
Açcording to them, multiply taxation of cargo clearance by freight agents on behalf of their respective shippers’ must be addressed saying the leadership of the associations should engage the government at all levels to abolish some of the taxes.
While highlighting some of the payable multiple taxation to governments, Youth Leader, Tin Can Island Port Complex, Saliu Remilekun Sikiru lamented over the weekend, that the newly introduced VREG by the Ministry of Finance has contributed some level of setbacks in cargo clearance.
The youth leader pointed out that currently in the port operations, revalidation of Tax Identification Number (TIN) has become a nightmare for clearance of cargo alleging that officials of the Nigeria Customs Service are catching in to extort freight agents.
He said, aside the VREG, wharf landing fee, local government levies, Temporary Vehicle Tag (TVT), levies from truck unions and associations are militating against the progress of cargo clearance from the seaports in Lagos State.
Sikiru noted that “Government told us and make it mandatory to all customs related agents that all consignees must have Tax Identification Number (TIN ) but for more than a month now, we have been having issues on TIN creation and revalidation which the demurrages will bounce on the agents.
“Same as Tin number issues , Nigeria customs created another avenue to their pocket to stylishly extort freight forwarders which the amount starts from N2,545 to N15,000 depends on the capacity and the year of the vehicle, which the top executives and stakeholders suppose to fight on behalf of its members, even at that VREG registration sometimes takes 4-5days before you can generate OTP that will enable you to gain access into customs duty payment.
Speaking on local government taxes on cargo clearance, Sikiru maintained that “For more than 4-5months now, at every junction, you see lots of men with jacket of local government and tickets , if you dare move your imported vehicle they will be seized it or your tyre will be deflected not until you pay you won’t move from that spot. I have proof of that which I will send to you.”
On TVT otherwise known as Temporary Vehicle Tag, he said “Another name that’s strange to the hear of the freight forwarders, but suddenly we started seeing them on the road with police stopping all tokunbo vehicles forcefully collecting N3, 500 for any vehicle. Surprisingly our top stakeholders are aware.”
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On Wharf Landing Fee, the youth leader added that ‘This is another tough sets of people that issue stickers on every tokunbo vehicles, if you dare pass them they will chase you and ensure your vehicle is seized and taken to their compound and if they take that vehicle to their compound the charges will change and they will ask those towing vehicle working with them to tow it .
“Their money start from 100k and you will also pay for the towing charges..
On RTEAN/NURTW, Sikiru lamented “Can you imagine that? Agbero collector are forcefully issuing tickets also for all tokunbo vehicles. This issues has been reported severally but nothing is been done by our respective leaders.
“It is no longer a new thing to the eyes of everyone what area boys are doing on the road to all tokunbos on the road, if you dare not given them their own share, it’s either your side mirror will be damage or remove completely.
He also expressed worries that shipping companies and terminal operators have made matter worst for the younger practitioners .
“Note all these complains have been reported to all the top executives of national body of all the associations, but they don’t listen to us. And as it is , someone told me that they have a share in all the complaints above that’s why they are not showing any interest concerning that which is hard for me to believe.
“I urge and beg all the national bodies and the western zones coordinators of all the association to raise and act fast on these issues their members are facing because the youths are not happy at all.
“These above mentioned problems has been on for month now and which nothing has been done. Some of us especially the youths are trying to make end means with the little token we earn but at the end it’s either end to the pocket of the shipping companies/terminal operators as demurrage; RTEAN, touts, Govt TVT and wharf landing.
“But specifically on the issue of VREG AND TIN revalidation has been a cumbersome issue which is gradually getting out of hand.
“I publicly call out the national bodies of all associations associated with the freight forwarding and customs licenced agents field most especially ANLCA to raise and act fast as possible to place a letter of complaints to the federal and state government concerning the demurrage attached due to lack of server error caused by them because the youths are not happy at all.
“I refused to accept that there’s a percentage the national bodies will receive at the end of all from the government agencies including FIRS and Customs VREG for not complaining or taking them to court for the huge demurrages they have caused the freight forwarder.
“Lastly, I urged and beg our national leaders to save us from this forthcoming demurrages as some of us don’t even know where to get it from”, Sikiru lamented.
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