Foreigners taking over Nigerians’ jobs will stop under my watch—Farinto
…Assures Apapa Port Chapter of better operating condition
The out-going Acting National President of ANLCA and frontline presidential candidate in the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) August 15th election, Dr. Kayode Farinto Collins’ campaign trail was on Tuesday at the nation’s premier port, the Apapa Port Complex where he assured that the many wrongs done to the Customs Brokers in the past will be corrected under his watch.
He made the pledge when he addressed a tumultuous crowd of supporters from the ANLCA Apapa Port Chapter who turned out their numbers to receive him and his team.
Farinto said at this time that things are getting more and more difficult in the country with the fuel subsidy removed and the floating of the Naira, ANLCA more than ever before needs who will champion the course of the members. He noted that “with the removal of the subsidy and floating of the Naira, Nigeria’s import has dropped by over 35 per cent.
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has promised the workers a salary increase and a lot more palliatives to the ordinary Nigerians to cushion pains of Nigerians at this time. For the Customs Brokers, I as your leader, I have taken it upon myself to advance your course. This is encapsulated in my 4-pont agenda which I wish to take up with the government.
“First on the agenda is that since the Exchange Rate is now going to be determined by the market forces, government will have to remove the 15 per cent Import Adjustment Levy of imported vehicles to cushion the effects of the spiraling exchange rate on importers and their agents.
“The second point is ending the wrong calculation of Value Added Tax (VAT). The VAT being a Consumption Tax means that if you are importing a container load of phone, the VAT will charged on the Free on Board (FoB) value. But this is not how they are calculating it; somebody needs to tell them that they are over-charging us,” Farinto said.
He said that year in, year out the Nigeria Customs Service declare huge revenues for which government gives them percentage while the revenue is actually generated by the Customs Broker while the Customs Service midwifes the generation of the revenue.
According to him, if the one who midwifes the collection of the revenue is given a percentage, the one who generates it also deserves to be given a percentage. Under his watch, making that a reality will be pushed to the National Assembly with fact and data of over seven years of revenue, to show that if the Customs Broker is given a percentage of the revenue he generated in 2022, he will generate more in 2023. “No Customs Broker will allow any importer to cheat the government if he paid a percentage of what he collects at the end of the year,” Farinto said.
He further stated that contrary to what is obtainable in other climes, foreigners come to Nigeria and the take over the clearing jobs meant for Nigerians. Those foreign companies like CCECC enters our ports to do clearing jobs, that why today no singular Nigeria is doing any Project Job, the foreigner have taken them over. They produce the good, import it clear and warehouse. That practice cannot continue under my watch.
Farinto also said that his administration will ensure that the Customs Broker Institute is Bill is passed by the National Assembly because Customs Brokerage is a distinct profession that does need to be in Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN).
He said his administration will collaborate with the government, “they will have their revenue but they should let the Customs Broker have sanity.
Other candidates in the Farinto’s team also gave a good account of them and assured their supporters that if they are collectively elected into office as a team, they surely deliver quality service to the association, take it to the next.