ANLC bans importers from opening Form ‘M’ with FirstBank, threatens to petition EFCC, ICPC - ITREALMS

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The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has banned members who are majorly importers and their agents from opening Form 'M' with the FirstBank Plc, reports ITREALMS.

Form M, which is now electronic as 'e-Form' is a mandatory documentation process put in place by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to monitor goods that are imported into the country as well as enable collection of import duties where applicable.

The Acting National President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Dr Kayode Farinto confirmed this directive at the weekend, saying that presently, clearing agents have been unable to clear cargoes from the port because customs would not accept duty payment on PAAR or Form ‘M’ opened with First Bank.

The ANLCA President also directed that all importers and clearing agents to stop forthwith the use of First Bank Plc for now and especially to avoid opening Form ‘M’ with the bank.

Dr Farinto also threatened to drag First Bank Plc before the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) for alleged financial fraud.

As said by him, “First Bank collected over N100billion on behalf of Federal Government of Nigeria on the issue of National Export Promotion Council, but the money was not remitted, the House Committee on Customs discovered this anomaly. Unfortunately, they only wrote a letter to CBN to yank First Bank off the system."

Stressing that what House Committee ought to have done was to let stakeholders know what was happening, and advice stakeholders accordingly to clear their backlog of jobs, if any, moreso to stop their form M.

ANLCA, he said has witnessed a similar happening with GT Bank last year, but this time around, will be taking the matter to EFCC..

He lamented that most clearing agents are currently stuck, because they cannot clear their consignment, while demurrage is accruing on cargoes at port.

"If you make your declaration, if it is first bank PAAR or Form ‘M’, the job cannot proceed until the bank is reconnected by CBN," he decried.

Therefore, ANLCA, he said, has directed importers and agents not to open Form 'M' with First Bank, assuring that they are on top of the matter, just as he appealed to the government and its relevant agencies to open a window to enable operators clear the backlog.

*Chuks Egbune with additional reports from DailyTrend/Editor