By Adeyinka Aderibigbe
Wharf landing collection fees on all vehicles and other products landing in the Lagos Ports are legal and within the state’s purview, the Lagos State Wharf Landing Agency Chairman Chief Gboyega Salvador-Adebayo has said.
Salvador-Adebayo, who was responding to alleged clamp down on 15 assorted vehicles by the agency for refusal to pay the statutory fees said the all members of the Nigeria Licensed Customs Agent (ANLCA) and other Maritime union are fully aware of the wharf Landing fees collection by the Lagos State Government.
According to him, the Lagos State Wharf Landing Fees Collecting Authority Law was enacted in 2009, by the Lagos State House Assembly, sequel to the approvals given by the office of the Joint Tax Board and the Federal Ministry of Finance in 2001 and 2002 respectively.
The Agency chief said according to the law, all trucks, buses and cars leaving the ports are expected to pay the fixed fees stated in the Law, which are known to the agents.
He said: “The agents claimed they pay N200 and they are issued a receipt, let me state that the least of the wharf landing fees is N300 for cars and we don’t issue receipt we only give stickers, the agency only issue receipt to those that pay penalty to the state Government account.”
He said any person in possession of goods on which wharf landing fee is chargeable, whether as owner, shipper, transporter or agent shall be liable to pay the amount prescribed in the schedule in the law.
Salvador-Adebayo said workers employed as wharf landing fees collectors are not thugs as claimed by the agents and other maritime union, they are collecting revenue on behalf of the Lagos State Government and majority of them are graduates from the Nigeria higher institutions.