Following the controversies that have trailed the implementation of Tax Identification Number (TIN) at the port by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in conjunction with the Nigeria Custom Service, maritime expert and Managing Director of Eyis Resources Limited, Mr. Lucky Amiwero has called for the harmonisation of port taxes under an integrated revenue system.
Following the controversies that have trailed the implementation of Tax Identification Number (TIN) at the port by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in conjunction with the Nigeria Custom Service, maritime expert and Managing Director of Eyis Resources Limited, Mr. Lucky Amiwero has called for the harmonisation of port taxes under an integrated revenue system.
Amiwero in a chat with Shipping Position Daily in Lagos yesterday condemned the implementation process adopted by the FIRS and the Customs, even as he stressed that the Nigeria Customs Service should be allowed to solely operate the issuance and use of the TIN.
According to him, this is what is obtainable in other African countries where taxation issues are harmonised under the custom service as a one-stop-shop.
Speaking further, he said, "it is causing problems because it is not properly implemented, I am not too happy about FIRS process, when you go there they will say go and come back after five days, they don’t understand what is happening in the port".
"The FIRS should not be given that thing to do, they should have given it to Customs, what the customs need is just the TIN number to collect tax".
He pointed out that Nigeria is currently carrying out a makeshift approach of the same system being operated in Ghana, Tanzania and Uganda under an integrated revenue board.
"Here, the FIRS is on its own with its head, VAT on its own, Custom on its own, it’s not supposed to be so, they should all be integrated", he pointed out.
"The TIN number is for information purpose, but when you spend five weeks to get it, then you are creating another long room at FIRS which is not suppose to be so" Amiwero said.
Amiwero however said that the proposed Pre Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) by the Customs is an aberration because it has no powers to introduce any process.
If there is any process that is going to be issued, it will come from the ministry of finance. He stressed that Customs is not to introduce any new process based on section 36 of CEMA, they are only to implement.
"There is nothing called PAAR, we only know RAR, the ministry has not issued any circular to that effect", he argued.
He said that destination inspection is still a tool that the Nigeria Customs Service is not used to and alleged that it (Customs) wants to rush to take over because of money.
"You cannot take over a thing you don’t know, there are many of these tools they are yet to go into, they don’t know it, there is supposed to be a transition plan that will put them on the job training", he stressed.
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