Following the recent faceoff between the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) Company, more companies owing levies due to the former are now showing willingness to pay.
The defaulting companies, are now coming forward to avoid the possible shut down of their operations as was the case with NLNG before the out- of- court settlement endorsed by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
Following the recent faceoff between the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) Company, more companies owing levies due to the former are now showing willingness to pay.
The defaulting companies, are now coming forward to avoid the possible shut down of their operations as was the case with NLNG before the out- of- court settlement endorsed by a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos.
The court had also cleared NIMASA of contempt charges brought against it by NLNG over the closure of its operations which caused the price of gas for domestic use to soar. NLNG, which agreed to pay under protest, had alleged that it inured losses of about N76Billion due to the closure of its gas export terminal in Bonny, Rivers State
With the out of court settlement option which was adopted by the court and the agreement between both parties to the dispute, smaller companies that are in default tin the payment of the statutory levies like the Free On Board(FOB),payment for Cabotage vessels and three percent levies for inbound vessels are said to be indicating willingness to pay.
Other taxes in the dispute included the 3 per cent gross levy on freight (in-bound and out-bound) cargo ships, 2 per cent surcharge on cabotage levy, and sea protection levy charged on all foreign flagged ships calling at the nation’s ports facilities.
Isichei Osamgbi, NIMASA's Head of Public Relations confirmed the operators' desire to meet their tax obligations at a recent training programme for the agency's Public Relations Officers in Lagos.
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