Auto Dealers Fault Additional Tariff On Imported Vehicles

Dealers of fairly used ve
hicles otherwise known as tokumbo have condemned the recently introduced additional tariff payable on imported vehicles from neighbouring ports by the Nigeria Customs Service.
The Managing Director of Andy Motors Limited, Chief Nnamdi Umuigbo who barred his mind in a chat with newsmen in Lagos recently said the practice is against the treaty of Common External Tariff (CET).
Umuigbo said, “The newly approved CET shows that 70 per cent has been introduced on all forms of imported vehicles in Nigeria which is supposed to be 20 per cent across board”, adding that, “for the customs to smuggle 70 per cent duty and tax on used and new vehicles, then the ECOWAS treaty has been rubbished”.
He said before the commencement date of CET, automobile dealers and some other informal sector operators envisaged that the Nigeria Customs Service might frustrate all efforts put in place by other ECOWAS countries in the region, adding the additional taxes are not necessary.
According to him, once the duty is paid in a particular port, it ends there, saying that the approval by the Federal Government would cause more harm than good for the importers and called for its review.
In his own view, another auto dealer, Geoffrey Uwa called on the government to reduce the 70 per cent duty on imported vehicles, but expressed optimism that the CET would soon fail as the treaty will not aid trade facilitation in the sector.
Another used vehicle dealer, Ifeanyi Obi, said the customs is only interested in collecting revenue for the government without considering the masses and how to facilitate trade in the country.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga, has disclosed that Nigeria spends more than $6 billion in import of cars into the country.