National Publicity Secretary of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Dr. Kayode Farinto has said that the association has right to 2% of any revenue collected by the Nigeria Customs Service.
Speaking during his campaign team's visit on the Tin Can chapter executives on Wednesday, Farinto, who is aspiring for the position of Vice President in the association’s coming elections, said that commendation for the over N1trillion revenue that was collected by the Nigeria Customs Service in 2017 should go to clearing agents and not customs officers.
He promised that, if elected as Vice President of ANLCA in April, he will work with the incoming president to ensure that 2% of the customs revenue goes to the agents.
Farinto also lamented a situation where foreigners have taken over the clearing agents businesses. He argued that only indigenes of Nigeria should be allowed to enter into Nigerian ports to clear cargoes. He said that indigenisation is practiced at all ports around the world, except Nigeria.
According to him, "last year, customs celebrated their collection of over N1trillion revenue, customs do not generate revenue, they only midwife it, we are the ones that generated the revenue, it is the clearing agents that take the money to bank. If the customs as midwife's are now collecting 7% of what they have generated, the clearing agents also needs an incentive"
"We would make a presentation to the Presidency for government to give us 2% of the CIF of the revenue, the plan is doable, but proliferation of associations has hindered it’’
"We are the one's generating the revenue but we live in penury, meanwhile an officer that is transferred four months ago, give him six months he will buy a brand new car, this is because we agents don't know what we are doing", he said .
Addressing the clearing agents who gathered to listen to his manifesto, Farinto also said "the first thing I noticed which is paramount, is the indigenisation of Customs brokerage, we have lost our jobs to foreigners, Indians, Lebanese and so on, they come in under the guise of door to door services.
Meanwhile in other neighboring countries of Cotonou and Cote d’ Ivore, and even European countries, if you are not an indigene, you cannot practice customs brokerage or have access to their ports. But in Nigeria, they own licenses and this has robbed indigenes of jobs"
Speaking earlier in an opening remark, Tin Can Port chapter Chairman of ANLCA, Prince Segun Oduntan warmly received the Farinto campaign team and charged members association to feel free and make their decisions during the coming elections.
Oduntan also charged members who wish to run for national positions in the coming elections to pick up their forms early.
"If you are interested in contesting and you feel you are qualified, the earlier you pick your form, the better.
The way things are in ANLCA now, elections cannot be rigged, anyone who lost should embrace the winner in one spirit" , he advised.
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