Govt Is Encouraging Smuggling In Nigeria -Port Operators

Some  policies in Nigeria maritime industry, that have been described as unfriendly to importers of cargoes into the country are being seen as boosting smuggling activities in the nation.
Asserting this in a recent chat with our correspondent in Lagos,  a former Public Relations Officer, Association of Nigeria Licenced Customs Agents (ANLCA), Seme Chapter, Mr Emmanuel Okwoche affirmed that the unfriendly state of ports in terms of cargo handling, delay and high costs, as well as spate of bans and tariff  are leading to diversion of cargoes due for Nigeria to ports of neighbouring countries like Ghana, Benin, and Togo.
Okwoche observed that the cargoes in question still end up in Nigeria via smuggling activities.
He pointed out that the Nigerian government loses huge revenue by the day as a result of these unfriendly policies and practices.
Speaking on local content, the ex-public relations officer appealed to the Federal Government of Nigeria to return the economy to the control of the local companies not foreign entrepreneur as “we are the ones  that pay taxes and have responsibilities and duties to this country.
In another development, the President, National Council of Managing Directors of Licenced Customs Agent (NCMDLCA), Chief Lucky Eyis Amiwero told our correspondent that the terminal operators increase their charges the way they like for quick return of their investment without caution.
According to him, “they increase the charges as they like, and most of them are even duplicated. Nobody is checking what they are doing since there is no commercial regulator”.
Amiwero noted that by the time you pay about N1.5 million on duty for one container, and N2.5 million for various port charges, you may end up running at a loss and that is what is encouraging smuggling.
It could be recalled that some time ago, the Nigeria Shipper’s Council (NSC) directed terminal operators and shipping companies to revert their charges to May 2009 rate.
The directive by the port commercial regulator was made after it observered what has become institutionalised predatory practices by operators and their men who slam high charges on importers and agents.
The NSC directive, with effect from November 3, 2014, also aims at slashing the cost of doing business at the ports to make them more attractive and globally competitive.