By GODWIN ORITSE
LAGOS—FREIGHT forwarders under the aegis of the National Council of Managing Director of Licensed Customs Agents, have petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan, over alleged unlawful imposition of import charges, saying “the Nigeria Customs Service had failed to comply with criteria applicable to the principle on the treatment of valuation of goods as contained in the Act.”

In a letter by the group’s President, Mr. Lucky Amiwero, said that the Customs wants to use the Static Data Base imposed on 26 commodities as bases for the collection of import duty on some applicable items.

He noted that the imposition contravenes Act 20 of 2003,  adding “there are six valuation methods applicable in the treatment of valuation of goods some of which are transaction value of goods, transaction value of identical goods, transaction value of similar goods, sale of value, computed value and reasonable value.”

He explained that the Act stipulates that “Customs valuation shall be based on the actual price of the goods to be valued, or imported for use in Nigeria based on the actual price.”

He said: “ The Static Data Base of the Nigeria Customs is the old method that had been outlawed by the enactment of the Customs and Excise Management, CEMA,  (Amendment) Act 20 of 2003.

“The Act has removed the final decision on value from the Nigeria Customs to the court based on Paragraph 3,” he added.