Clearing Agents Back Lagos Govt on N4,850 TVT Charges on Imported Vehicles, Allay Fears of Double Taxation

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By DAPO OLAWUNI

The Lagos State Government has said that Wharf Landing Fees on imported vehicles has been harmonized with the newly introduced N4,850.00 Temporary Vehicle Tag (TVT) being collected by the Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (MVAA) one of the agencies under the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation.

At a stakeholders meeting in Lagos on Wednesday, the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) also expressed support for the Lagos government on the collection, saying that it’s members would no longer pay Wharf Landing Fees on vehicles because it has been harmonized into the TVT charges.

L-R: Mr Olalekan Odufuye, Acting President of ANLCA, Dr Kayode Farinto and National Secretary of ANLCA, Alhaji Babatunde Mukaila during the meeting

However, the Wharf Landing Fees collection still applies to all other cargoes, except imported vehicles only.

Speaking during the meeting at ANLCA Secretariat in Amuwo Odofin Lagos on Wednesday, Acting President of ANLCA, Dr Kayode Farinto said the association is aware of the TVT charge as introduced by the Lagos government.

DAILY TREND learnt that the TVT policy is meant to basically enhance effectiveness of the security architecture already in place, with regards to safety on the roads.

Dr Farinto however said that the association has made certain demands from the state government which is, to ensure eradication of illegal fees collection by miscreants on all roads adjoining the ports.

“We have discussed extensively that for the TVT to commence, there is need to cross the T’s and dot the It’s, so that our members would see that we are really protecting them and the Lagos State Government has agreed with us.

“I was privileged to be in Onne Port Rivers State few months ago and I saw a local government introducing a levy on containerized vehicles that are leaving the port. What they did well was to invite ANLCA, they discussed with us, we agreed on terms and modalities and we told them to slash the fee

“We have been discussing the issue of TVT for a very long time, by the time we seat down on how to implement it, we would carry everyone along” he said

Also speaking, National Secretary of ANLCA, Alhaji Babatunde Mukaila explained that the TVT is not new to clearing agents at the port.

“Over time, the association has brought together the MVAA and the Wharf Landing Collection Agency because we want them to clarify certain aspect of their programs.

“We have reached a milestone that Wharf Landing collection is for general cargoes, whether dry or wet cargo, while the TVT is for Roll on-Roll off cargoes (vehicles)

“So, these two dycotomy where reinforced today so that our members would not be short-changed, paying for wharf landing and TVT on same vehicles.

“While further discussion is ongoing, the two parastatals would continue their engagement with stakeholders, we have given them some advise, even up to the Shippers Council, but the most important thing is to clarify that ANLCA as an association is aware of this TVT charge, and we have reached an agreement that we would not be paying both TVT and Wharf Landing, we are on the same page on this” Mukaila stated

Also speaking, the officer in charge for MVAA, Mr Ramos Lateef, clarified that the coming of the TVT officials closer to the port is not to burden port stakeholders, but that the TVT itself is practiced all over the world.

According to him “It is only in Nigeria that you see a vehicle that is not tagged or traced to anybody. The TVT law is not a Lagos State Government law, it is an extension of the National Road Traffic Law which says that no unregistered vehicle should ply roads throughout the federation.

“Moving closer to the port is to make it easier for the importers and freight forwarders to access our offices, stakeholders advised us to move closer to make it easier for them.

“We have been on this enforcement journey since 2021, we called it ‘test-running enforcement’ in order to see what the challenges are, and we have seen them.

“We are working with NPA, ANLCA and all other stakeholders and we want the port access to be free, we don’t want any illegal collections on roads adjoining the port” he said

Mr Lateef confirmed that ANLCA as an association is asking for a tidy and a sane environment for them to carryout their businesses.
He assured the association that all the hoodlums stoping vehicles on the highway to demand payment would be eradicated.

“We are still having meetings with Chairmen of the local government areas, the state does not want all manner of people coming to the road demanding money. The next phase is to clampdown on these actors” he assured

Also speaking, another official of the Lagos ministry, Mr Olalekan Odufuye corrected that a lot of sensitization has been carried out on the TVT charge for stakeholders to be aware.

According to him Gingles have been done on radio stations among other sensitization and engagements since 2020.

“In 2020, we were in ANLCA’s AGM at Owerri, every member were there, we made presentations on the TVT, so, it is not something that is strange to them” he said
DAILY TREND reported exclusively last week that already, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has linked TVT payment to Terminal Delivery Order (TDO) and directed terminal operators not to release any vehicle without evidence of payment.

TVT collecting office is domiciled at the Lagos State Wharf Landing Collecting Authority office in Apapa GRA, Lagos.

1 thought on “Clearing Agents Back Lagos Govt on N4,850 TVT Charges on Imported Vehicles, Allay Fears of Double Taxation

  1. It’s sounds somehow, how will paying TVT remove Extortionist on the roads, or could it be an indirect way to legalized extortion on the roads ? or how will paying TVT be a condition to remove extortionist, When government banned Okada on some areas, no condition was attached, in my opinion, government should ban all forms of collecting physical cash on the roads, every collection should be online from the source, shouldn’t be on the roads, government should criminalize extortion on the roads.

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