By: G Bennie Bravo Johnson
The Fula Business Association and National Custom Brokers Association of Liberia (NCBAL) have described as unfair the additional burden of third-party engagement charges of 1. 2 % on imported commodities with Metech Scientific.
At a Joint press conference of the Fula Business Association and the National Customs Brokers Association of Liberia ( NCBAL) held yesterday, March 26, 2024, in Monrovia, Fula Business Association President, Mr. Mohammed Barry said surprisingly to the business community in 2021 Metech Scientific surfaced in the business community and moved the1.2% on imported goods to 3% which they rejected.
According to him, for over two years the company has been collecting 1.2% and up to now there is no up-to-date documentary scanning machine as instructed by the World Trade Organizations (WTO) and the warehouses haven’t been constructed among other things for which the money is collected.
“We expect them by now to construct a warehouse that will accommodate 50 containers. So they have been collecting free money coupled with other challenges surrounding our engagement with BIVAC, Mr. Barry told journalists.
Moreover, according to him, Metech Scientific is the only office that receives documents instead of the three days maximum that the government of Liberia requires, it will take two to three weeks which is a serious challenge causing storage and demurrage
He therefore called on the government of Liberia through President Joseph Nyuma Boakai that there should be no business as usual and stressed that they don’t need Metech Scientific because the Liberia Revenue Authority can perform that responsibility by outsourcing to the company.
Mr Barry then recommended that Sayi there is one of the two things LRA can do, either maintain Metech and get rid of Custom, or remove Metech Scientific and maintain Custom to do the job.
He also told the press conference of an inappropriate regulation required by the shipping line. The business community needs 24-hour services at the Freeport of Monrovia to enhance business activities
Also speaking at the press conference, the Secretary of the National Customs Brokers Association of Liberia, Mr. Morris Kiatamba also decried the deplorable condition in the services of Metech Scientific which further stressed that the World Trade Organization frowns on third-party arrangement.
He also intimated that the third party denies the government of rightful revenue. The work done by Metech Scientific is an outsourced role given by the LRA which further imposes an extra burden on businesses.
The Secretary General of BCBAL also spoke of the Ministry of Commence function being overlooked by Metech Scientific which according to him, has been doing just documentary inspection for the past two years without direct benefits to the business community.
The NCBAL believes that the process begins from the Ministry of Commence and leads straight to the Liberia Revenue Authority which significantly helps raise the lawful revenue of the Liberian government on imported goods.
“Under this new administration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai we need to have no third party arrangement which the WTO detest, let deal with the transaction level value which is an approved global standard”, Mr. Kiatamba expressed.
Speaking on the shipping line, he mentioned that Liberia is the only country where the legal tender has been nullifying for transaction in paying for services with these companies, Mr. Kiatamba sees this as a technical barrier to trade and calls on the government of Liberia to intervene.
