22 May 2017, Sweetcrude, Lagos — THE 2016 unaudited accounts of the Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA), is currently stalling the release of the 7 percent surcharge paid on imports for the development of the ports.
Disclosing in Lagos, the Managing Director of the authority, Ms. Hadiza Bala Usman said that the account of the agency was last audited in 2014 and 2015 adding that the 2016 account was yet to be done.
Responding to queries on the port issues by protesting customs agents and truckers in Lagos, Usman said that access to the fund was tied to the updated audited account of the authority.
The 7 percent surcharge levy for port development is paid in the coffers of the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) which amounts runs into billion of Naira over a period of about ten years.
Speaking on the development, the National Publicity Secretary of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, (ANLCA) Mr. Kayode Farinto disclosed that the money was long overdue.
“How can we have so much money stashed away somewhere and ports are in such a pathetic state”? Farinto queried.
The group’s scribe explained that while 2 percent of the 7 percent surcharge is collected by the Nigerian Shippers Council, (NSC) and the balance of 5 percent is collected by the Nigerian Ports Authority.
“What we should be doing is to calculate how much has been collected in the last ten years”.
She commended the NPA boss for her honesty and sincerity toward the development of the nation’s ports.
On the collection of wharf landing fees, Farinto said that the collection of the fees is a fraud being committed by Lagos State Government.
“I was the first to take Lagos State government to court over the collection, maritime business exclusively Federal Government affairs.” He said