NAFFAC kicks against merger of NIMASA, Customs, FIRS; says they play different roles.
NAFFAC kicks against merger of NIMASA, Customs, FIRS; says they play different roles.
As reactions continue to trail the suggested merger of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), a critical stakeholder in the freight forwarding industry, Prince Adeyinka Bakare maintained that the agencies’ responsibilities do not correlate.
Bakare who is the President General of National Air Freight Forwarders and Consolidators (NAFFAC) told our correspondent that the three agencies 0erform different functions and the thought of merging them is of no essence.
According to him, the primary function of the Customs is to facilitate trade; NIMASA was established as a technical regulator of shipping while the FIRS is mainly for revenue generation
Prince Bakare, Chief Executive Officer of De Portal Nigeria Limited, quipped that he dis not support the merger postulation by the Tinubu economic team.
He said, “The primary duty of customs is trade facilitation. NIMASA is a maritime Regulator and FIRS is purely a Revenue generation.
“So merging of the 3 agencies is a No from me, ” he submitted.
Recall that the federal government’s economic advisers had come up with a proposal towards the merger of the trio into the Nigerian Revenue Service (NRS).
The merger, according to the economic council, will enable efficient collection of all direct and indirect taxes as well as levies on behalf of the federal government.
According to submissions by the National Economy Sub-Committee, the policy will be aided by the passage of an Emergency Economic Reform Bill which will grant President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (BAT) special powers to drive the economic reform agenda and support the delivery of sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
The council further outlined the removal of fuel subsidy, sale or concession of select government assets, transition to a transparent and unified foreign exchange rate system, deepening tax collection and optimization of operating expenditure to reduce cost, as targets to be pursued by the President towards the achievement of some milestones within the first 100 days in office.
Members of the Policy Advisory Council are Senator Tokunbo Abiru (chair), Dr Yemi Cardoso, Sumaila Zubairu and Dr Doris Anite.
