The senate committee on marine transport has directed the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) to meet its tax obligations to the Nigerian Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).
The committee gave this directive as it waded into the rift between the two government agencies with an assurance to resolve it for the interest of the Nigerian citizens.
NLNG is cumulatively owing NIMASA the sum of $158 million. The tax include the three per cent gross levy on freight (in-bound and out-bound) cargo ships, two per cent surcharge on carbortage levy and sea protection levy charged on all foreign flagged ships calling at the nation’s ports facilities.
President Goodluck Jonathan had directed the Attorney General and Minister of Justice Mohammed Adoke to wade into the rift between the two bodies and come up with an amicable solution. Following this intervention, an understanding was reached between the two bodies that NLNG should undertake installmental liquidation of the debt. Consequently, the NLNG paid an initial $20 million but refused to continue the repayment, instead, they resorted to go back to the court to contest the payment.
Speaking at an interactive session with stakeholders in the marine transport sector yesterday at the National Assembly, including members of the newly inaugurated boards of the parastatals under the sector, a member of the committee, Senator Benedict Ayande (Cross River North) stated that as representatives of the Nigerian people, the senate would like to know why NLNG as a corporate body owned jointly by the Federal Government and some international oil companies would not want to meet its tax obligations.
The other stakeholders who attended the interactive meeting included the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Shippers Council, Maritime Authority of Nigeria (MAN) and officials of the supervising ministry; transport.
The lawmaker who observed that the international oil companies always pay taxes in their home countries insists that, “I see no reason why they pay taxes in their countries and will not want to pay the Nigerian government.”
The senator said as a lawyer, he saluted the courage of the Director General of the Nigerian Administration and Safety Agency for having the courageous moves he had taken on the NLNG issue, assuring the DG that, “you have the full backing of the senate.”
According to the lawmaker, “The committee will want to be fully clarified on this issue so as to pull more weight with NIMASA in generating more revenue for the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
