Nigerians in the Maritime sector, are having it tough, as 3 million staff will soon receive their letters of termination of duty, Post-Nigeria gathered.
According to the President, Shippers Association, Lagos State, Mr Jonathan Nicol, who made this known on Friday, August 5, he decried that President Muhammadu Buhari’s authorisation of the floating of the exchange rate by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, had adversely affected the sector, and its resultant effect is capable of shedding 3 million jobs in the maritime sector.
According to the President, Shippers Association, Lagos State, Mr Jonathan Nicol, who made this known on Friday, August 5, he decried that President Muhammadu Buhari’s authorisation of the floating of the exchange rate by the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, had adversely affected the sector, and its resultant effect is capable of shedding 3 million jobs in the maritime sector.
Post-Nigeria further gathered, that the development which has already generated massive fear in the maritime sector, is capable of crippling import and export of goods and services.
Nicol, speaking further, added that the recent increase in exchange rate of N313 to the dollar, is not only unprofessional, but conveys the ignorance of port administrators, including the Apex bank.
The Implication according to Nicol, is that shippers would be paying more for duty cost, adding that consumer goods would also go up.
“The silence of the Federal Ministry of Finance on this issue, without an official guideline is worrisome.“The Minister of Finance should explain why this is so’’, Nicol lamented.
Meanwhile, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, has threatened to shutdown the nation’s ports, over the recent 43 percent hike in customs duty.
President of the Association, Alhaji Olayiwola Shittu, who condemned in totality the monetary policy that led to the collapse of the maritime industry, frowned at the import regime of fixing the foreign exchange rate at N331 to a dollar.
Shittu said, “There should have been a deliberate effort to save Nigerian importers from the debilitating effect of fixing the foreign exchange in calculating the import duty”.
He pointed out, that it was condemnable to force Nigerians to open form ‘M’ for imports, at N197 to a dollar, and now be forced to pay N331, after the goods had been shipped.
He added: “Governments all over the world, make conscious efforts to protect the interest of their citizens.“We are calling for a National Executive Council meeting of our Association, where a date will be announced for total withdrawal of our services’’, Shittu said.
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