- As Nigeria, South Africa bilateral relations now at risk over N780b MTN fine
The Federal Ministry of Transportation would this week, begin investigation to determine whether past collections by the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) from its members were normal membership dues, or monies meant for Government.
The Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi directed the Ministry’s Head of Legal to conduct the investigation, sequel to claims at a Ministerial meeting last Wednesday, by some freight forwarders associations that ANLCA was indeed collecting and withholding, Practicing Operational Fees meant for the Council for Regulations of Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (CRFFN).
Prince Olayiwola Shittu
The claim was however, hotly refuted by the ANLCA executives which insisted that its members had only been paying their normal membership dues in furtherance of the good goals, including the welfare policies of the association.
One of freight forwarders who attended the Abuja meeting told the Maritime First, that the collections by ANLCA should be done by the CRFFN; and which upon the deduction of its 35 percent by the Council, should simply share the rest, equally.
The forwarder who spoke anonymously also lamented the collections by the ANLCA, pointing out that if peace was to exist, there should be no multiplication of collection.
The ANLCA National President, Prince Olayiwola Shittu however debunked the view, stressing that while the body had nothing against any collections by the CRFFN, it was however unfortunate that some freight forwarders were scheming of hijacking the administration of ANLCA.
“The money we collect from our members predates the CRFFN. The CRFFN was created in 2007. But ANLCA has been on ground, both at the airport and at the seaports, long before then”, Shittu highlighted, pointing out that the ANLCA members have natural love for their association; and were always prepare to mobilize the body, if and whenever the need arose.
“Our disagreement can be understood, when you ask, who are the people paying the money? Is it not the Customs licensed agents? Now, how many Customs Licensed Agents are in each association?
“We have even offered: lets be sharing the rebate, on the strength of the numbers of the licensed agents, since they are the declarants and are the people who are supposed to pay this money? Whatever is the percentages, pay them!
“But they are not comfortable with our suggestions; because the majority of their agents don’t even have a license! You must recall, that there was a time some even preached, that you don’t ever need a license, to operate in the port!”, Shittu said, explaining that earlier impression some gave to Amaechi, was that ANLCA and its members were not registered with the CRFFN, forgetting that it was ANLCA that first stood by the Council, when it first came on board.
“If Government wants to collect the POF, it should not be, by blocking putting the roads with tyres and log of woods. Government can put that money under a heading, since it is official, so that it can be accounted for when it is paid; and it may be collected, even by the Customs.
“But, to ask us to bring the money that ANLCA members are paying to its association, so as to be shared by every other association members, to our members, should be out of the question.
“That was our position. That is still our position. And that was why some of them went and misinformed the Minister, that we were eating Government money!”, he stated further,
The Minister it was learnt also made it clear, that if at the end of the investigation by the Legal Department, was found to have cornered any funds, belonging to the Government, such persons should be made, to face the full wrath of the EFCC.
Another ANLCA member who confirmed Shittu’s view as the association position emphasized that as dynamic and revenue-focused as the Lagos State Government was, it has not invaded the motor parks, to demand that monies collected at the respective motor parks should be considered as Government’s.
“The NURTW do not collect from the passengers. They are collecting from the drivers; and these drivers are their members; or are they not?” he asked, speaking on conditions that his name be not mentioned.
In the meantime, the frosty relationship between South Africa and Nigeria may be further strained over the hard stance of the National Assembly on the vexed issue of N780b fine imposed on MTN Nigeria by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), concerned Nigerians have impressed on the Federal Government, the need to tread softly.
In his first public comment on the matter, President Buhari said Nigeria was not concerned about the money, but the security implication of MTN’s failure to disconnect unregistered lines.
He said the company chose to go to court rather than negotiate with the authorities.
“MTN had withdrawn their case from the court and decided to go back and renegotiate the fine, which they consider very stiff, with NCC to find ways the fine can be reduced and given time to pay gradually,” Buhari said.
Speaking with a cross-section of stakeholders, they observed that there is need for the Federal Government to ensure that the issues are resolved in a most amicable way possible to forestall further breakdown in bilateral relations by both countries.
In the view of Dr. Fabian Uzor, a public affairs analyst, both countries will be at the receiving end if the relationship between the countries become estrange.
Echoing similar sentiments, the President of National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers (NATCOMS), Chief Deolu Ogunbanjo, urged the Federal Government to accept the N50 billion payment by MTN Nigeria as the total fine.
Ogunbanjo said that the N50 billion payment made by MTN was okay and somewhat seemingly agreeable with international best practices.
“The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and indeed the Federal Government should now show some magnanimity in accepting the payment in good faith. “This will ensure that MTN continues to be in business in Nigeria. “Our fines must be corrective and not as penal as to close down foreign investment interests in Nigeria. “Nigerian regulators must not be excessively harsh in order not to send wrong signals to investors interested in Nigeria,” he said.
According to him, MTN has demonstrated some goodwill by withdrawing the case from the court and paying N50 billion.
MTN Nigeria had on Feb. 24 withdrawn its case against the NCC at the Federal High Court, Lagos.
Additional report from Upshot
