Fake clearing agents mess up industry
THE clearing and forwarding agents want the Government to give them mandate to deal with briefcase operators, a top official said over the weekend.
By Paul Tentena
THE clearing and forwarding agents want the Government to give them mandate to deal with briefcase operators, a top official said over the weekend.
Kassim Omar, the national chairman of the Uganda Clearing Industry and Forwarding Association (UCIFA), noted that because the bogus clearing agents were tarnishing the image of genuine ones, it was time for the Government to give them power to fight the vice.
“Some clearing agents are employed to con and cheat fellow agents and clearing houses. They can be eliminated if the Government allows us to self-police ourselves,†said Omar during the UCIFA annual general meeting at Hotel Africana.
The UCIFA chairman also asked the Government to set a uniform clearing tariff for cargo in order to avoid price imbalances.
Omar wants the Government to monitor some customs officers whom he said were conniving with the quack agents.
“When we try to curb these acts, investigation officers from the Police often frustrate our work,†he said.
Omar’s statement came at a time when the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) is contemplating suspending the activities of clearing agents.
Omar urged the Government to revise the sh20,000 entry fee for clearing cargo, adding that even the Namanve common user clearing facility was not necessary.
Allen Kagina, the URA commissioner general, said they were not enemies with clearing agents but want to see professionalism in how they carry out their work.
She said a poor relationship between URA and the clearing agents might lead to low tax compliance adding that “the strength of togetherness determines the momentum of development.â€
Kagina also opposed the inland ports, pre-shipment measures at Tororo and Namanve as proposed by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards.
THE clearing and forwarding agents want the Government to give them mandate to deal with briefcase operators, a top official said over the weekend.
Kassim Omar, the national chairman of the Uganda Clearing Industry and Forwarding Association (UCIFA), noted that because the bogus clearing agents were tarnishing the image of genuine ones, it was time for the Government to give them power to fight the vice.
“Some clearing agents are employed to con and cheat fellow agents and clearing houses. They can be eliminated if the Government allows us to self-police ourselves,†said Omar during the UCIFA annual general meeting at Hotel Africana.
The UCIFA chairman also asked the Government to set a uniform clearing tariff for cargo in order to avoid price imbalances.
Omar wants the Government to monitor some customs officers whom he said were conniving with the quack agents.
“When we try to curb these acts, investigation officers from the Police often frustrate our work,†he said.
Omar’s statement came at a time when the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) is contemplating suspending the activities of clearing agents.
Omar urged the Government to revise the sh20,000 entry fee for clearing cargo, adding that even the Namanve common user clearing facility was not necessary.
Allen Kagina, the URA commissioner general, said they were not enemies with clearing agents but want to see professionalism in how they carry out their work.
She said a poor relationship between URA and the clearing agents might lead to low tax compliance adding that “the strength of togetherness determines the momentum of development.â€
Kagina also opposed the inland ports, pre-shipment measures at Tororo and Namanve as proposed by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards.