Customs agents suffering ban on importation of vehicles through borders – Chairman

The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents on Wednesday said its members were suffering the ban on importation of vehicles through the borders.
The Chairman of the association, Alhaji Bisiriyu Danu, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Badagry, Lagos State.
NAN reports that the Federal Government with effect from January 1, 2017 placed a ban on importation of used and new vehicles through the land borders.
Danu said with the ban, members of the association had been going through hardship.
He said: “Several agents are suffering and cannot afford to feed their families due to the ban of new and fairly-used vehicles through the land borders by the Federal government.
“The ban on vehicles has affected many of our members because it was the major source of income for many of them so it has caused untold hardship.
“It has also rendered several youths in the area unemployed as the ban has made them lost their source of livelihood.
“The ban has only increased the sufferings of people and increased the activities of smugglers in the area. Government should reconsider its stance on the ban.”
Danu advised the Federal Government to revive the automobile industry in the country before putting such ban in place.
He said: “Most Nigerians cannot afford to buy brand new cars; so, buying cars from neighbouring countries has helped in bridging that gap.
“The government should revive the automobile industry in the country; make the environment most business-friendly before putting up such ban.
“The ban has only made vehicles in the country more expensive for the common man.”
Selechang Taupyen, the Spokesman of the Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Command, said the ban of new and fairly used vehicles through the land borders had not affected its revenue drive.
Taupyen said: “The ban has not affected the revenue the command generates.
“It is important to note that the Federal Government would still generate revenue from vehicles through the seaports; so there are no losses.
“As a government agency empowered to enforce the law, we are totally committed to this and we have ensured that there is no breakdown of law and order.
“The public must understand that the ban is meant to improve the economy of the country so we must abide by it.”
Taupyen advised the pubic to desist from smuggling.
On its part, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders said activities were improving at the various ports after about a year’s lull owing to foreign exchange scarcity.
Stanley Ezenga, NAGAFF’s National Publicity Secretary, told NAN that though, things had not yet improved to the level of the boom days, activities were gradually taking an upward swing.
Ezenga said: “It is good news that imports are picking up once again after about a year lull owing to scarcity of the dollar and a number of policy issues.
“Reports we have from our men on the field are showing that cargoes, including vehicles, machinery, fuel are arriving at the ports larger than they used to.
“This is a good sign of recovery. This is January when things pick up slowly.
“We expect that by the time we progress in the year and the budget is passed, we would witness more improvement.’’
Ezenga commended the Central Bank of Nigeria for improving the value of the naira through a number of recent interventions.
He said that the development was not only good for business at the ports but also the economy.
NAN.