Suspension Of GTBank From Duty Collection: Importers Incur N20bn Demurrages

Clearing Agents operating at the nation’s seaports, yesterday, said importers have incured demurrage and storage charges worth over N20billion due to the suspension of Guaranty Trust Bank from duty collection at the seaports.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP, the acting president, Association of Nigerian Licenced Customs Agents (ANLCA), Kayode Farinto, threatened to shutdown the corporate headquarters of the Bank over inability of importers to clear cargoes out of the port.

Farinto, however, said that GTBank was suspended from the Customs platform over poor remitances of Customs duty to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Recall however that Guaranty Trust Bank in its reaction when the story first broke, had noted that the halt in Customs payments through the bank was not due to any default in the agreement.

Spokesperson of the Bank, Oyinade Adegite, speaking with LEADERSHIP, had explained that there were technical issues that are currently being resolved.

“I am aware that we had technical issues but it is not the impression that we were told to stop. I know we are trying to sort out one or two things in that aspect. We just have some technical issues that had nothing to do with the agreement. It is just with the platform,” she had said.

But Farinto said the association may be forced to petition the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), over the poor remittances to the federal government and economic loss to the country.

He said, “What we noticed is that it’s not the Nigeria Customs Service that suspended GTBank, but through a directive from the National Assembly. Based on investigation,  in the course of reconciliation GTBank has not remitted some huge amount of money they have collected on behalf of the the federal government of the federation account and they have collected it on behalf of the federal government and that is a criminal offense. That is why we will be inviting the EFCC to come into this issue.