Business
ANLCA Urges Review Of Imported Vehicles Charges
The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has urged the Federal Government to reduce charges on imported vehicles to make the smuggling of second-hand vehicles unattractive.
Mr Kanikwu Chuks, Director-General of ANLCA, made the suggestions on Wednesday in Lagos in an interview with newsmen.
Chuks said that many Nigerians imported their vehicles through the ports in neighbouring countries because their charges were low.
According to him, until the problem of multiple charges is addressed, importation and smuggling of imported vehicles through the borders will continue.
He explained that aside from customs duties, there were other costs such as terminal charges, stacking, transfer and towing charges, which made clearance of vehicles in Nigerian ports very expensive.
Chuks suggested that government should adopt the “Ghana Model’’ where the mode of payment and clearance of vehicles differ on the year of manufacture.
“In Ghana, the newer the vehicle, the lower the duty on it while the older the vehicle, the higher the duty.
“The major attraction in neighbouring ports is that the shipping company or terminal charges and other charges are not paid.
He welcomed the 15-year age limit policy on second-hand cars, but said the borders might still remain attractive if all the “inbuilt’’ charges by shipping companies, terminal operators and off-dock terminals were retained.
Chuks explained that the nation had lost huge revenue to smuggling and urged the government to reduce charges on imported vehicles.
The ANLCA chief also suggested that all government agencies operating at the ports should be brought under the supervision of the various customs area comptrollers.
He said such agencies include the SSS, Defence Military Intelligence (DMI), Nigeria Police, National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and others.
The ANLCA chief said that a conflict resolution committee headed by the respective customs area comptrollers should be inaugurated to resolve areas of differences where such occurred.
“All these suggestions are geared toward enhancing revenue generation and trade facilitation,’’ he said.