Customs to introduce uniformed tariff on imported vehicles 

The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali has set up a committee comprising of three Deputy Comptrollers General (DCGs) and three members of the Association of Nigerian License Customs Agents (ANLCA) to develop a road map on introduction of a uniformed value for imported vehicles into Nigeria. National Public Relations Officer of Customs, Mr. Joseph Attah confirmed this. He said that the decision was reached at a recent meeting between the Customs management and ANLCA. Attah however did not expatiate, but said details of the committee’s woks are still under wraps.

It was however gathered that the three DCGs in the committee are: DCG Tariff and Trade, Alu S. R of Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection,  Dangaladima A. A  and DCG in charge of Customs ICT.  ANLCA is represented by its national president; Prince Olayiwola Shittu, Alhaji Babatunde Mukaila and retired Customs Comptroller Olu Ogunojemite. Also confirming the development last week, Tin Can Island Chairman of ANLCA, Prince Segun Oduntan said the major challenge confronting Nigerian importers and clearing agents is lack of uniformed value on imported items, especially vehicles.

Oduntan noted that clearing agents have been clamouring for the value of vehicles to be published openly on customs website, he however said some corrupt officers were frustrating it because of pecuniary gains. He said that if implemented, it would eradicate the number of alerts placed on already cleared cargoes by Customs. “We were in Abuja and we told the CGC that he should give us a value base on cars, if this is done, we as chapter chairmen will rest, the meeting we had was almost turned into fisticuffs. A committee has been set up headed by a DCG”

“As of today, some people are not ready to make it work because of what they are eating from the anomaly. The duty of vehicles should be placed online just like the tariff”, he said. The ANLCA chairman also maintained that without the uniform value on vehicles, alerts cannot be resolved. Most of the alerts are on imported vehicles” At the weekend, National Publicity Secretary of ANLCA, Kayode Farinto told our correspondent that there is need for the industry to have uniformed value on vehicles. “The CGC has approved it and it would soon see the light of the day, a committee has been formed to take care of it comprising of three DCG and three ANLCA members. Once there is a uniformed value on vehicles. It would be placed on the internet; the importer knows what to pay at all ports. If Ghana can do it, we should also do it”. he said