Oluyinka Onigbinde
The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has lampooned Guaranty Trust Bank over its alleged non-remittance of import duty running into billions of Naira and collected on behalf of the Federal Government.
In a chat with our correspondent on Wednesday, the acting national president of the association, Dr. Kayode Farinto lamented that the suspension of the bank has affected over 400,000 consignments, this is even as he stated that the economy may have lost over N40 billion and that several consignments are trapped in the port owing to the suspension of the bank.
Recall that the Nigeria Customs Service had two weeks ago suspended the GT Bank from collection of import duty, thereby subjecting importers and clearing agents to huge demurrages at the port.
The National Public Relations Officer of customs, Deputy Comptroller Timi Bomodi had explained that the suspension was on the directive of the National Assembly.
But, Farinto lampooned the bank for failing to address them despite importers and agents running into huge loss due to demurrage charges.
He said: “The amount that Nigerian importers are losing as a result of storages and demurrages is running high and the problem is not yet over. These consignments are still trapped in the port and agents cannot clear them.
“Even some who have made assessments cannot pay duty. It is running to over N40 billion now and that is very unfortunate.
“We have a situation on the ground where nobody is talking to Nigerians. Nobody is talking to our stakeholders, freight forwarders or Customs brokers. That is why there is a need for us to make the world know what is happening in the maritime industry.
“We have a situation whereby GTB must have erred through the issue of reconciliation. We heard that GTB has not remitted some hundreds of billion to the federation account and they have collected this money on behalf of the Federal Government and that was what led to their suspension.
“The Committee of Customs at the National Assembly directed Customs to suspend GTB from the portal. GTB has been suspended and some consignments have been trapped.
“As I talk to you, over 400,000 containers throughout the federation who open their Form M cannot proceed further, haven gotten their Pre Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) because they must pay the duty through the Commercial or dealer Bank where you have opened your Form
“There are about 10 percent of people who have actually paid duty and as a result of the suspension the status has not changed on the part of Customs and they cannot move forward in the area of clearance of the goods.
” Hence we are calling on freight forwarders to make sure that from today the 6th of September, 2022 they should not open their Form M or make any assessment or transaction through GT Bank again.
“This becomes imperative in the view of the fact that nobody is even talking to us. We sent a letter to GTB on this particular issue for them to address us and let us know what is happening, but everybody is avoiding us. That is why I want to challenge the EFCC.
“I don’t know why the EFCC has not come into this issue. We are talking about the federation accounts. This money has been collected on behalf of the Federal Government and remittance has not been done”.
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