Customs Agents Worries Over Double Taxation On Vehicles
The National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) has expressed concern on the imposition of payment of electronic call-up charges on importers after paying for vehicle entry permit (VEP) and tenure packing fees (TPF) to terminal operators, describing charges as double taxation.
According to a letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the licensed customs agents said VEP and TPF, which are contained in the rate paid to the terminals, legally authorised vehicles to enter ports for loading without any further payment.
In the letter signed by the President, NCMDLCA, Lucky Amiwero, it noted that it was illegal to double charge the same service of vehicle entry into the ports, which has been paid for by the importers through the customs agents.
The customs agents further explained that N21,500 and N75,075 electronic call-up charges for 20ft and 40ft containers respectively have no direct bearing on cargo and are also not part of the service rendered on cargoes.
According to them, the lease agreement contracted by the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) with the terminal operators incorporates vehicle entry permits and tenure parking rate per truck entering the port premise as contained in the maximum tariffs for cargo dues of vehicles.
Similarly, they further expressed that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and terminal operators should be responsible for the payment of the electronic call-up system in line with the agreement.
Amiwero explained that the electronic call-up system charges are not tied to any service on Customs processing of import or export goods, nor directly involve service to importer/licensed customs agents as contained in the trade facilitation agreement (TFA).
He also noted the electronic call-up system is an infrastructure developed to facilitate the access of truck transport in and out of the ports, which is the responsibility of the NPA on infrastructure development for the movement of vehicles into the port.