Tues, 3 September-
Haboursandport.com:
The National Council of Managing Directors Of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) has requested President Bola Tinubu to compel the Terminal Operators and shipping company to refund the money wrongly collected from the Importer/Licensed Customs Agents(LCA) on goods imported into the country during the COVID 19 lockdown for (35) thirty five days.
NCMDLCA in a letter to President Tinubu, dated August 24, and signed by Lucky Eyis Amiwero, its National President , said : " We once more inform the Federal Government that the waiver on demurrage and rent waiver has not been refunded by the Terminal Operators and Shipping companies
as directed by the Federal Government.
"This was Five years after, the waiver wrongly and forcefully collected by the Terminals operators and shipping companies, nothing have been refunded to the Importer as directed by the Presidency, all process was suspended due to refusal of the terminal Operators to refund the thirty five(35) days waiver wrongfully collected,
Furthermore, records of Invoice wrongly paid by Importers/Licensed Customs Agents(LCA) to the Terminal Operators, are all forwarded to Nigerian Ports Authority since 2020, as the agency responsible to coordinate the implementation of COVID 19 relief reconciliation with the Terminal operators."
The letter is titled RE: REFUSAL TO REFUND THE (35) DAYS WAIVER APPROVED BY THE PRESIDENCY ON COVID 19 LOCKDOWN PANDEMIC ON DEMURRAGE AND RENT BY TERMINAL OPERATORS AND SHIPPING COMPANIES FOR THE RELIEF TO IMPORTERS AND LICENSED CUSTOMS AGENTS(LCA) AFTER FIVE (5) YEARS WITHOUT COMPLIANCE.
Lucky Amiwero noted that the Presidential Directive on COVID 19 Pandemic, for the waiver of demurrage by Shipping Companies and rent by Terminal operators as conversed , was necessitated by the following:
(a)The Licensed Customs Agents(LCA) who are facilitators of Clearance, could not gain access to the Port and Bonded Terminal during the restricted period
(b)The Banks Closure, that is key to agents Transaction, was not operational
(c)The Licensed Agents Could not access the Shipping Companies due to closure
(d)The Agent cannot access NAFDAC, SON, and other Government Agencies to process their regulatory requirements to facilitate clearance from the Port
(e)No transport or shuttle bus to move agents to their area of operation due to restriction of movement of persons globally, in line with the principle of force- majeure.
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