The National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) has appealed for the Federal Government’s intervention on goods held up at the borders in which most of the goods are covered under import clearance procedure.
According to the President of NCMDLCA, Mr. Lucky Amiwero, the importers have obtained Form “M, issued with Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), paid import duty and have undergone transit clearance in line with the import guideline covered under Section 3 of the Pre- shipment Inspection Act that authorized the process.
Amiwero, who stated this in a letter to President Muhammadu Buhari, said that some of the goods held up at the borders are legal , originating goods from third country covered under common External Tariff, that has been subjected to legal import guideline procedures, with some of the goods issued, with Form M, import duty paid made while awaiting normal exit clearance to assess Nigerian corridor.
He said that at the time of most importation and process of the held up goods at the border, there was no circular restricting the goods held up, which was done almost immediately.
He explained: “The closure should have been backed by a circular to the trading public before the closure of the borders, so as to comply with Section 18 of the Customs and Excise Management Act C 45 of 2004, the (WCO) Kyoto Convention Chapter 9 and WTO Article X, which address trade information in advance, these should have eliminated the present difficulties experience by the trading public on the held up goods at the borders.
Further more, most goods that are still at the border are on the top of the trailers accruing demurrages and rent in the Port at the country of transit, after obtaining Form M and shipment is expected to transit to Nigerian.”
However, he therefore appealed to Federal Government to set up Committee to check the legitimate goods that has subjected to Nigeria import laws and to allow the passage to relief the trading public from huge demurrage cost and rents.
He hinted: “We here by appeal as respected member of Presidential and Ministerial Committee on Customs Reform, Destination Inspection Committee, and Import Clearance Procedures and others fell concerned for the huge lost that is occasioned by the immediate closure.
“While we are not contesting the fact that lot of unwholesome practice exist at the border we appeal to the Federal Government to look into the complexities of the closure and address legitimate importers/Licensed Customs Agent to relief them of the present burden of cost and save life.”