Mr Sulaiman Ayokunle Lukman is a member of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents. He has ambition to be the next National Publicity Secretary of the association. In this interview with Oluyinka Onigbinde, he dwells on the crisis that has brought the association to its knees. He says that Sir Emenike Nwokeji is better than Dr Farinto Kayode as the next President of the association.
Many have said that the issue of National Automotive Council levy is one of the factors that have contributed to increase in cost of clearance of vehicle at the ports. Do you think the government should review this NAC levy downwards or it should be scrapped?
What brought about NAC levy by the regime of President Olusegun Obasanjo was that he said they want to use to improve that sector. They want to use it to enhance productivity in the assembly of vehicles in Nigeria and to discourage importation. You and I know that the NAC levy has never added any value to that sector. We have not seen any importance of that NAC. We are not even talking of reduction yet. Let it be scrapped. However, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently said they want to make sure that all these taxes are streamlined in a way that it will be more effective. We have not seen anything important for the purpose of that NAC. Initially, we are talking of reduction, but having gone deeply, we discovered that it plays no important role. So it should be scrapped. I stand to be corrected. People come out and tell us what NAC level has done for us. In fact the people taking this money definitely need to be investigated because no one has been able to convince us. Nobody has been able to convince us that this money has been utilized judiciously. I won’t call it a scam, until the investigation proves that.
Do you think this present government should review the 42 items ban from forex by CBN?
Speaking on those 42 items prohibited by the Central Bank of Nigeria, I would say if an item needs to be prohibited; definitely there must be ready-made alternative. Because what they told us then was that those items were part of the items putting pressure on our exchange rate. After prohibiting those items, we know what has been affecting our exchange rate. It is galloping at a geometric rate. If it’s arithmetic, it will be very slow. Then why do we still need those things to be prohibited? We are not having it. We are unable to use it. Yet people bring it in their own way while other countries enjoy these taxes, levies, and duties that we think those things are supposed to bring to Nigeria. They will find their way and still bring them in. Our borders are so porous. By the time they bring it in, Nigerians will consume it, the Federal government will lose and other countries will benefit from the duty.
We’ve learnt that there is a sharp drop in importation at both Tin Can Port and PTML. Can you give us the percentage and how true is this?
Which aspect of importation? To be specific, are you talking about vehicles? Okay. Traditionally, PTML that is, Grimaldi RoRo are usually the major conveyers of imported vehicles, as we all know. In the country today, they still control not less than 70% of vehicles that come into the country. But as it is now, it’s fluctuating. There is a sharp drop. But in terms of percentage, we can put it at a minimum level of 50% drop compared to what we have been having. I am specifically talking of PTML. But that of Tin Can Island port, the PRO or any other executive there will be able to shed more light on that. But we know, even Grimaldi and everybody knows that there is a sharp drop in importation of vehicles. That might not translate into the number of vehicles that enter Nigeria. Like I told you, our borders are porous, some might come in with the duty paid to other countries, yet Nigeria will be the one losing. This is because those vehicles have their final destination in Nigeria.
How relevant is the VIN presently; now that we have a unified rate and all of that?
You know what VIN does is to regulate the ex-factory price. What this fluctuation in exchange rate does is that you calculate the present rate multiplied by your ex-factory price. The difference between VIN and the old practice is just the technology. Once you log in, all things being equal, you have the amount in ex-factory. As it is, it is still relevant. But it will have no way to reduce or increase, except for the exchange rate. The exchange rate is the one that determines this fluctuation.
What is your message to the new Customs CG as regards the NAC?
The new Customs CG is still in acting capacity. Of course we definitely know that he will still be trying to take his time to make sure that things work. From all his records, we know that he has been a man of integrity. But he wouldn’t want to disappoint the practitioners or disappoint the service. The difference between this CG and the immediate past is that the new CG is tested and trusted in the system. The man grew through the system. The other one was imported into the system and we want to believe that since he knows how the system works, even from the grassroots, he will be able to put all his capacity and put all his strength to make sure things work. He’s trying and honestly, we wish him well. We want to work with him to make sure that he succeeds; provided he is able to follow the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA).
Do you find any part of the new CEMA to be against Ease of Doing Business as it concerns freight forwarding?
For every policy or Act, the belief will be for improvement and that it should be able to reckon with the present day reality. However, let me tell you how this thing works. The CEMA is still on paper. We want it domesticated. Let us see how they are able to apply it. One of the things creating problems between the practitioners and Nigeria Customs Service is that someone will wake up in the morning depending on his mood and you find the person misinterpreting what the policy paper says. But it has always been our duty to make sure that whoever wants to go outside what is in the book, he will stand by the book and make sure that his personal opinion does not count. We want to see the CEMA being applied. Then it will be easier for us to say this is good or not. However, as it is on paper, there are some improvements, including the number of years for renewal of our licenses, and how the practitioners will relate. But I know that government in their own way of doing things; their priority is that no Kobo or Naira must be lost. We are practitioners and professionals and we stand by government. But the government must do the right thing as well.
At the last NEC meeting of your association, you vehemently kicked against bringing back of Chief Henry Njoku and others to conduct the NECOM Election. But has the issue of who should be on the board been resolved?
Yeah, it has been resolved through the CRFFN. So, we are going back to the status quo of the 4-4 formation from each group. We are still one. When we talk about group, we are not talking of two different parties. We are one body. However, interest differs, but the goals and objectives are the same. So, we are 4-4 as piloted by CRFFN. We believe it is working and we must stand by it to work.
But the board put together by CRFFN is not recognized by the Corporate Affairs Commission. Don’t you think there will be litigation after the election?
In the recent past, we had more than 10 court cases. It took us nowhere. It made us retrogress instead of progressing. Then we look at it inwardly. If we all believe that it must be court cases all the time, then we might be in court till the next 50 generations of practitioners. The elders came together and said having discovered all this; the best thing is to have gentlemen at the table. Recognized or not recognized by CAC, these board members are not new comers into ANLCA. They are grounded, professionals and elders. This is because the BoT is not for boys. They are for men. Everybody agreed that yes, they are qualified on paper and I believe the registration process through CAC is ongoing. We want to put our hope that it should give us the lasting solution into ANLCA problem as it concerns Board of Trustees.
How would you describe the tenure of Dr Kayode Farinto in ANLCA as the acting President?
For the purpose of posterity and the record, Kayode Farinto is not just a friend, he is a brother to me. He has done his best. He has served as two-time Chairman of the Tin Can Island Port chapter, National Publicity Secretary and in some other crucial positions in ANLCA. We enjoyed his tenure then. But he came in with Tony Iju and we all supported him as Vice president of our association until Tony Iju left. Tony Iju took leave of absence. Then Farinto finally took the mantle of leadership and after taking that mantle of leadership, our expectation was so high, that we will be able to turn stone into water. But presently we are disappointed. ANLCA went into more crises than ever before. Nobody wants to see his father plunging the house into crisis every time and the children will fold their arms and allow the roof to collapse finally. No. We say no. Of course it is at his own prerogative to contest as President. You know he is in acting capacity. But he should listen to the voice of the people. Like I told you earlier, he’s not just a friend, he’s a brother. He knows my place and I know his place. We are very close. But in terms of the profession itself, he has put it in his best. Let us give other set of people a trial. This I am saying is for the purpose of posterity and it should be on record. We have nothing personal against him. But ANLCA must be allowed to breathe. ANLCA must not die. We all joined; there is no founder among us. ANLCA is a foremost association, a pressure group used formerly to measure the blood pressure of every Customs officer. But here we are today. He should give us his record of everything he has done to convince the people that for him to have spent five years both as Vice President and acting President. He should roll it out and let us see if actually he is worth being elected as substantive President of ANLCA. Practically I have nothing. I joined the job since September 1988. The only relief or leave I had then was to go back to the University of Lagos, I finished from UNILAG and I decided it is a profession I love so much and I came back into it. So we are not babies. When things are good, we know it’s good. We don’t need to be sandwiched by anybody or any group for us to know when something is good or bad. He’s a good man. But he might be better in any other positions than going for the President of ANLCA. Of course, he’s in CRFFN. So that agility and capacity that he wants to exhibit might be best used in CRFFN.
At the last NEC meeting, we were told that there was a push again for an extension of tenure for 90 days. Did the NEC agree to give them another extension, since the election did not hold?
Unfortunately, I was not at the last NEC meeting. However, I am in the system. What magic or miracle would anybody wants to be in that another 90 days that they have not done or were unable to do in five years? Why do people like buying time? You see, I said I am saying this for the purpose of the profession. It has nothing to do with personality; it is not personal. Give them another 90 years. I, Sulaiman, don’t believe any miracle can come out of that. It will only bring another 90 days of fresh crisis.
It is obvious that Sir Emenike is your candidate, why do you think he is a better candidate?
Emenike is going for the President. We have other positions. A President don’t work alone. Go and look at the Emenike – Segun Oduntan’s team which of course, within that team I am going as National Publicity Secretary. Looking at Emenike, of course he practiced in the East; precisely in Port Harcourt. From his track record, Emenike is a human resource manager. He is not just a man of God, he is a man of conscience. Emenike has been able to train and develop human resources in the system. The record is there for everybody to see. So, we are not in any way in doubt that Emenike will be the best candidate for the position of the president of ANLCA.
Even though he does not reside in Lagos?
Yes, Lagos belongs to the western zone. Lagos is just one of the zones in ANLCA. But Lagos controls majority. Remember, among this team of people going for NECOM under the Emenike campaign umbrella, we have a minimum of six of them that practice in the West. Do you think our contributions will be limited? No. Our contributions will not be small to develop whatever Emenike himself wants to bring to the table.
Some are also saying that for a lasting peace, there should be a consensus between the two camps. Are you aware of this or has such discussions been going on?
Yes, we are all aware. In one of the NEC meetings, the Chairman suggested that the elders believe that one of the solutions to this problem is to have a consensus. That the two camps should talk to themselves and come out with a plan for us to fix whatever the problem is; that is, bringing out consensus candidate. You know that was done for BoT and ASECO, but we tried and I’m not sure that it’s something that is going to work. We have tried it. Farinto is not ready to step down. Emenike as the head of the winning team, the head of the winning team, we have no reason to ask him to step down. Telling Emenike to step down is telling ANLCA to collapse. I’m saying this with total sense of responsibility.
We know you’ve served as National Publicity Secretary at the chapter then. Why are you vying for the position of the National Publicity Secretary of the association?
Yes, it’s an inborn attitude that I love to propagate the good image of wherever I belong. It might be coincidental, that other National Publicity Secretaries of the past later vied for the position of the National President. But it is not something that is planned from the onset. You can remember that in Nigeria, we have Flying Eagles, Golden Eagles and Super Eagles. What is constant in life is change. Having served as two-time PRO, I discovered that I have a burning passion to represent ANLCA at the NECOM and at the level of National Publicity Secretary. What you know how to do best, nobody will tell you how to do it. Having discovered that in me with the love of the Association, my people came together and discovered I am one of the burning passion of ANLCA. We all came together and believed that this is the time to reposition the image of ANLCA. We are not saying those who did it in the past have not done it well. But we have those great things to add to the value and image of ANLCA. I am not coming to represent myself. I am coming to represent the association at the level of National Publicity Secretary. I am sufficiently confident that in the first quarter of our being in office, you will be surprised to see how ANLCA will fair. The image of this association needs to be brought back to the way it was and even improved upon. Presently, the way people talk about us is not encouraging and we should not just hold our hands and think that is the best way to go. We are a foremost association, but look at our personal record; it is nothing to write home about. It is a serious challenge to even go for that position at this point in time. But I am confident that yes, we will be able to move the mountain. With this team, I am not in doubt that we will move mountain.
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