E-Invoicing Is Ploy Return Nigeria to Pre-shipment Inspection Regime – Freight Forwarders
Finance Minister
By Francis Ugwoke
Freight forwarders have raised alarm over the
planned e-invoicing saying it is a ploy to take Nigeria back to pre-shipment inspection (PSI) regime.
Recall that the Central Bank of Nigeria had issued a guideline on the introduction of e-valuation and e-invoicing.
Freight forwarders who spoke to SHIPPING DAY said it was curious that both Finance Ministry and the CBN were now championing e-invoicing.
One of the freight forwarders and former President of National Association of Government Registered Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Eugene said the e-invoicing was simply a designed conspiracy against the Nigeria Customs to make meaning the earlier public threat to take over its functions by the Ministry of Finance.
It would be recalled that the Finance Ministry had earlier called during a public hearing that the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) should be allowed to collect duties at the nation’s ports.
Nweke said the monetary policy was in conflict with fiscal policy, saying the e-invoicing is being targeted at taking Nigeria back to Pre-shipment Inspection ( PSI).
He said, “Conflict of interest so glaring, as same supervisory Minister vetoed the e-custom modernization and consented to the e-evaluator and e-invoicing.
“The move amounts to both double handling and taxation, both at the origin port and destination port.
“The operational pedigree, performance and capacity of the Contractor or Consultant is not known by the Nigerian lawmakers, and the biding process for official engagement is not in the public knowledge.
“The initiative will increase the cost of importation into the country, with its contributory infractions to the ailing economic hardship in the land ( aka worsening inflation and weakening the citizens purchasing power.
“ The consultancy services fee, terms & conditions or contract value payable to the consultant is not in the public knowledge”.
Nweke argued that was even surprising was that there was not sensitization of the stakeholders prior to contractual engagements.
According to him, the initiative was aimed at subtly moving to usurp Nigeria Customs of its functions.
He called on the Federal Executive Council cum NASS to take a second look to the incessant engagements of army of occupation by some of its agencies, all in the name of “food for the boys”.
He argued that with the present present destination inspection regime, it was the duty of the Customs to evaluate or raise value for trade goods coming into or leaving the country.
“When you set a parallel consultant to receive e-invoice into their portal and to re-evaluate it at a set benchmark, it amounts to usurping of the customs function”, he said.
About Post Author
