The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has suggested to the Federal Government to fix the exchange rate for Customs clearance purposes for over a period of minimum of six months.
The association said that stabilizing the exchange rate is necessary because of the time it takes to start and conclude an import transaction, putting into consideration all the myriads of impediments on the path of international trade at the present.
Speaking with journalists at its secretariat in Lagos on Thursday, the National President of ANLCA, Chief Emenike Nwokeoji, lamented that the constant and upward changes in the exchange rate for Customs trade purposes are putting everything in a state of confusion.
Nwokeoji said that the development does not allow for planning by business entities in their import business endeavours.
“A company does not have the opportunity to estimate the costs of its imports to ascertain the viability of a certain transaction. It is more frustrating for companies with bank financing,” he said.
The ANLCA President expressed the frustrations of Customs Agents/Brokers/Freight Forwarders in making credible quotes for jobs as the constant upward reviews of exchange rates render such quotes impracticable, even as already contracted jobs are experiencing huge difficulties.
In his own contribution, Chairman, Board of Trustees of the association, Alhaji Mustapha, stated emphatically that the association will have no option than to liaise with the labour unions to close the ports if government fails to yield to the call to fix exchange rate for a period of time.
