Lagos – Dredgers in Lagos have appealed to the Lagos State Government to heed a Federal High Court judgment restricting it from regulating commercial activities of dredgers in the state.
The dredgers told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday that the appeal became imperative due to a guideline from the Dredging and Monitoring Unit of the Lagos State Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development (MWFID).
The document, dated Feb. 2016 is titled, “Requirements for Registration of Dredgers and Dredging Operation: Terms and Conditions”.
Some officials of Lagos Chapter of Nigeria Dredgers Association told NAN that they instituted a suit in 2012 on the issue of the multiple taxes imposed on members by the various regulatory bodies.
They said that due to the action, controversy arose about the official government regulatory agencies that should regulate, obtain payments and renew licences of dredgers.
According to them, the court in 2014 ruled that Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) were the lawful agencies with constitutional authority to regulate commercial activities of dredgers.
The association said that the court, therefore, restrained the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) and Lagos State Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development from collecting and imposing charges on their commercial activities.
The dredgers said that to their chagrin, the Lagos State Government had been flouting the court judgment since 2014.
“Every one is imposing heavy tax on dredgers, from the Federal Government to the state government, the local government and even the host communities.
“This has made the business unprofitable; it has driven investors away because there are multiple government agencies generating revenue from just one sector of the economy.
“Mineral resources are controlled by the Federal Government and are in the exclusive list in the Constitution.
“Are the states controlling oil? Oil is controlled by the Federal Government just like mineral resources, no state controls mineral resources.
“The states are benefiting from the royalty that dredgers are paying to the federal coffers and should be satisfied with their allocation from the royalty.
“It is not a fight, we are just saying that the proper things be done in creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the country.”[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560”]
The association said that MWFID was encroaching on the duties of NIWA by issuing and renewing licences, permits, environmental activities, registration of boats, collection of royalties and haulage fees from dredgers.
“Exactly what NIWA is doing is what the state wants to do and these are duplication of interests.
“Payment of application form for dredging machine for which NIWA charges N2, 500 is what the MWFID is charging N50, 000.
“There is due diligence in the process of obtaining permit and licenses from NIWA, NIMASA and the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development. MWFID should allow the lawful agencies to do their duties.”
The dredgers said that activities in the mining sector were meant to boost the economy and create employment for the teeming youths in the country.
The Area Manager of NIWA, Mr Muazu Sambo, said that NIWA aligned with the court judgment, adding that the order was final and was yet to be upturned by any superior court.
Mr Lanre Bajulaiye, the Head, Public Affairs, Lagos State Ministry of Waterfront Infrastructure Development, said that the guidelines regulating dredging activities in the state had been in existence for long, but the operators had not adhered to it.
He said that the government intended to regulate dredging activities to protect the interest of the state. (NAN)