Group Rejects FG’s New Automotive Policy …Threatens To Shut Down Ports

The implementation of the
Federal Government policy on imported used vehciles which has commenced needed urgent input from the National Coordinator, Martitime Advocacy and Auction Group (MAAG), Alhaji Alhassan Dantata, as the Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders, Importers, Exporters Coalition (SNFFIEC0 has given a 72-hour ultimatum to its members of the 12 maritime associations to address the issue.
The group has also advised the Federal Government to go back to status quo on the automotive policy saying that the policy is unacceptable to members of the public.
Addressing journalists under the aegis of (Maritime Reporters Correspondents’ Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON) the  National Coordinator of the group, Sir Osita Patrick Chukwu, reiterated that the country is unripe for the policy to be effected even as he urged the Nigerian Customs Service not to  bring the policy to public notice.
According  to him, the input of the coordinator of MAAG on the policy need to be known by others adding that under 72hrs, if there is no reaction from the MAAG boss, his group will have no option but to swing into action by shutting down the ports.
“In as much as the power conferred on me as the coordinator of the SNFFIEC is concerned, our stand remains that the Federal Government should go back to status quo and if nothing happened, we will be waiting for MAAG to make input before shutting down the ports”.
“As a group in MAAG, we cannot stay here and look at our country and the masses suffer, we are now telling the coordinator of MAAG that if in  a couple of days we did not hear from him, we will have no option man to  create an unfriendly environment in the ports”, he warned.
He maintained that there is the need for government to discuss issues with maritime stakeholders for the betterment of the economy and the nation in general.
The coordinator explained that the payment of duty on vehicles has become a major challenge in port operations and the banking sector has also made things worse practitioners.
He noted that the group has rejected to comply with the circular signed by the deputy comptroller general of customs on tariff and trade on behalf of the comptroller general on the automotive policy.
Osita expressed dismay on government policies which he described as having inflicted pain on the masses.
He added that the policy will ground the economy of the nation as most freight forwarders, importers and exporters will have to surrender their respective businesses at the detriment of this inhuman policy.
Osita stressed that a large number of freight agents operating from the sector are into automobile clearance from the port and the policy will send most of them out of their respective jobs.