Willy Eya
7 May 2004
Lagos — FREIGHT forwarders in Nigeria have been advised to shun sharp practices in their business transaction.
This advice was made in Lagos by president of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam.
Dr. Aniebonam who briefed the press on an interactive session between members of his organization and the Comptroller General of Customs Mr. Gyang Buba warned practitioners to be wary of the exit of the special taskforce on 100 per cent examination.
In his advice, he stated, "freight forwarders are hereby advised to stay off un-orthodox practices to avoid being victims of circumstances." adding that "Practitioners must be alerted to the wind of change in our gateways as stakeholders are being made to obey the rule of law."
He explained that with the approval of 2.5 per cent rate on free on Board value of imports and exports transactions, freight forwarders will no more have excuses for getting involved in sharp practices.
Dr. Aniebonam said that freight forwarders must continue to educate importers and exporters as to the need for genuine declarations for customs purposes.
He advised that actual content of each consignment must be ascertained and declarations made as well as entered in the single entry declaration form before lodgement for customs processing.
Importers, he said, must be made to endorse claim of ownership of their imports using form sale 123/124 of the Nigeria customs.
He said that payment of agency fee for the freight forwarders should be calculated and based on the F.O.B of the import/export transaction value at 2.5 per cent rate.
The NAGAFF boss further decried the prohibition of so many importation items into the country lamenting that with such a development, freight forwarders may not have much to do.
He said that the implication was that out of hunger, many freight forwarders may indulge in smuggling activities.
The freight forwarder argued that they may try to engage in smuggling activities with an intent to evade government operatives.
"NAGAFF sincerely believes that practising freight forwarders must not continue to pass through the harrowing experiences of trying to defend the importers in the event of untrue declaration to the extent of contravening the laws of our country" he stated.
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