“Wharf Landing fees is not Owo Omo Onile” — LASG

The Lagos state  government has  stressed that the collection of “wharf landing fees” should not be likened to the infamous collections by miscreants and area boys from land buyers and intending house owners in Lagos. The illegal and often forceful collection is called owo omo onile which means money collected by miscreants masquerading as land owners.  
A cross section of stakeholders had likened the controversial collection to the infamous owo omo onile and alerted that the fees may turn out to be another opportunity for area boys and hoodlums to rip –off importers and transporters.
For instance, a freight forwarder and frontline member of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Agents, Mr Wale Odu had told Shipping Position Weekly after the fee was confirmed. 
Though the amount is not much, the issue where area boys and the (omo oniles) as they are called extort agents and importers should be looked into properly. Such money will no longer be payable to the area boys.
Speaking in the same vein, the deputy national president, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Mr Eugene Nweke lamented that already the omo oniles extort money from importers and providers of haulage services on any containers that are to be off- loaded. Similarly, a frontline maritime consultant and an executive member of the Nigerian Association of Master Mariners, Capt Abiodun Omotesho carpeted the Lagos state government for tactically legitimising the omo onile phenomenon. “It’s like what we call “owo omo onile”, he argued.
But, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Government on Taxation and Revenue matters, Mr Ade Ipaye told Shipping Position Weekly that it would be unfair to equate “wharf landing fees” to owo omo onile and that rather that derogatorily look at it in that manner, Lagosians should appreciate that the state government is spending a lot of money on public infrastructures, utility and security and that revenue like that will assist the local government to and the state government to do more. According to him, apart from this, the “wharf landing fees” is statutory collection backed by the law; therefore equating it to the notorious owo omo onile is unfortunate.   (Please go to pages 6 and 7 for details).