…Laments N5billion loss to Apapa gridlock
About one month after the Federal Government officially flagged-off the implementation of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET) in Nigeria, the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has kicked against the implementation, asking government to suspend the new tariff.
The association has equally condemned the ever-present traffic gridlock along Oshodi-Apapa expressway and the Funso Williams Avenue, saying that not less than N5billion is being lost daily to the traffic gridlock on the port access roads.
Speaking at a press conference in Lagos yesterday, ANLCA Publicity Secretary, Kayode Farinto observed that the CET is a public trap that has been down by President Goodluck Jonathan's administration for the incoming administration of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
Farinto said that under the Supplementary Protection Measure (SPM) which was included in the new CET, levy payable on about 177 items has been increased to not less than 50% including imported vehicles.
He said that CET cannot be implemented at the port unless the government takes a second look at the tariff and make major adjustments.
"The out-going government has set a public trap for the in-coming administration and eventually there may not be eureka, there is what is called Supplementary Protection Measure (SPM) which was slotted into the CET"
"About 177 items will be paying levy not less than 20%, the highest is 50%, so with this there is no solution, it's like giving something with the right hand and taking it back with the left hand. If the CET is implemented, the 177 items on SPM where 50% levy is on vehicle is like going back to where Jonathan wants to give us 70% on vehicles. We have communicated to the President-elect and we are looking into it" he said.
Farinto urged the in-coming administration of Gen. Buhari to encourage citizen patriotism by making Nigerian ports attractive for business.
Specifically, he said "the CET must be addressed by the administration of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, if not, we don't see it working, it is not going to alleviate anybody's suffering, rather it will add to it, the SPM must be expunged for the CET to work"
"In other countries, the SPM is implemented at low rates to encourage local manufacturers."
ANLCA has equally lamented the traffic gridlock on port access roads, even as it called on the Lagos State Government to partner the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Nigerian Navy in order to set up a task force to control the Apapa traffic in the short term.
In the long term, the association is demanding the relocation of all tank farms sighted in Apapa to other areas of Badagry, Epe among others.
"The in-coming administration should liaise with the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Nigerian Navy, last year the Navy did a great job of clearing the gridlock and we had easy access to the port"
"The Lagos State Government should constitute another task force as a short time measure to give respite to stakeholders and residents of Apapa"
"The long-term solution is what the Vice President-elect said that tank farms will be relocated out of Apapa", he stated.
While reacting to the seven days ultimatum which was issued by ANLCA to the APM Terminals over the system failures at the terminal which has hindered delivery and movement of cargoes out of the port, Farinto said the association is suing APMT for N24billion.
He said that the association is already collating debit notes from its members operating at APMT through its Apapa Chapter Chairman; Mr. Olumide Fakanlu.
"It is not going to be business as usual, nobody will come to this country and start milking innocent Nigerians and the very few patriotic importers bringing cargoes to our waterways"
"The seven days ultimatum we gave APMT expired yesterday, we will not hesitate to take them to court, we have told our members to forward their debit notes so that we will know how much we would sue APMT, I am sure it will not be less than N24billion.
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