TheCable

Clearing agents under the aegis of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) say they will embark on a warning strike from Monday, April 25.

According to NAN, Rilwan Amuni, taskforce chairman of ANLCA, announced the strike action in a circular issued on Friday in Lagos.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) had recently introduced a 15 percent National Automobile Commission (NAC) levy on used imported vehicles, but this did not go down well with clearing agents in the country’s maritime sector.

The agents argued that the NAC levy is mostly meant for new vehicles, questioning the rationale behind the introduction of the duty on used vehicles.

The ANLCA circular said the warning strike was a fallout of consultations among critical stakeholders.

It said the warning strike will commence on Monday and will last till Tuesday.

“We have consulted widely among critical stakeholders as par the 15 per cent NAC and “illegal benchmarks on Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR),” the circular reads.

“It has been concluded that the 15 per cent NAC is a fraud and an obnoxious policy.

“In view of this, in conjunction with other stakeholders there will be a one-day warning strike on April 25 by 10:00 a.m. prompt, starting from our ‘Holy Ground’ in front of Grimaldi.

“And we will move down to Customs Area Controller (CAC’S) of Port and Terminal Multi-services Ltd. (PTML) and Tincan enroute all other terminals in Tincan and Apapa.

“Please note that April 25 and 26 is just a ‘warning strike’, agents are allowed to do their jobs and tidy up against Wednesday in lieu of whether their will be a reverse or not.”

The ANLCA expressed optimism that the authorities concerned would reverse the “Illegal 15 per cent NAC and also review the benchmarks on PAAR” within the next 48 hours.

It, however, enjoined its members to ensure a total shutdown at all ports if the policy is not reversed after the warning strike.