REPS CONDEMN ALLEGED EXTORTIONS IN AIRCARGO, AGRO-BUSINESSES EXPORTS
Njideka Ozoalor
The House of Representatives has condemned all charges and actions that are debilitating air cargo and agro- businesses exports in Nigeria.
The House mandated the committees on customs and Excise, Finance, Aviation, and Agricultural production and Services to investigate the allegations and report back within two weeks for further legislative action.
This followed the adoption of the prayer of a motion sponsored by the Deputy Minority Leader, Toby Okechukwu at plenary on Wednesday.
Presenting the motion, Okechukwu said the investigation report in the September 23, 2021 edition of the Guardian Newspaper alleged at foreign cargo airlines were departing Nigeria empty due to extortion and multiple charges.
“Cognizant of Nigeria’s huge agro- export potential, with 22 non – oil products worth over $150 billion in export value yearly already penciled in the new export promotion programme of the Federal Government.
“Aware that export is supposed to be free in Nigeria under extant laws and regulations, except for the airline’s charges and payments to ground handlers”, The lawmaker argued.
He expressed worry over recent reports that 11 out of 16 sundry charges lined up against air cargo are illegal and that official bottlenecks, extortion, exorbitant and multiple charges are discouraging cargo airlines from operating in Nigeria as they prefer cargos from other African countries which offer them more favorable considerations.
Okechukwu said: ” Nigeria’s import-to-export airfreight ratio imbalance, which is estimated at 87:13 and also agro-allied market potential worth over $250 billion is wasting away, while local exporters are fast abandoning the multi- billion dollars’ worth agro-export business”.
