Association Kicks Against Customs Duty On Vehicles

The leadership of the Nigeria Association of Licensed Customs  Agents (ANCLA) has kicked against the recent policy directive of the  Nigeria Custom Service   (NCS) on Payment of customs duty on vehicles  at the zonal offices of the service within one month.
In a statement by the ANCLA’s President Olaruwaju Shittu on Monday the union said  that the payment may amount to double taxation on vehicles that  were duly  cleared by the members  of the association on behalf of their  customers.
Shittu  said that the directive may be step in the right direction by the  NCS, but the prevailing harsh economy needs to be considered in the formulation  and implementation of the policy by the customs  service.
The Nigeria customs service had in a statement from its Acting Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joseph Atta, said  that owners  of vehicles,  who did not pay customs duty to do so  between  March 13 and April 12.
Atta said that all  persons in possession  of such vehicles  should take advantage  of the grace period to pay appropriate  dues on their vehicles, stressing  that the service will embark on aggressive  anti-smuggling operation to seize  as well as  prosecute  owners of such smuggled  vehicles after the deadline of April 12.
The customs spokesperson  further  said that for the avoidance of doubt  all private  car owners who are not sure of the authenticity of their vehicle’s custom documents can also approach  the zonal  offices  to verify with a view to complying  with the provision of the law at the service’s four zonal offices where the  fees are  to be  paid as Lagos, Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Bauchi.
But ANCLA boss said that owners  of vehicles  have no business with  the payment of customs  duty, rather  it is the duty of  the car   dealers to pay customs  duty on their  imported vehicles before clearance; adding that vehicle  owners  collect complete papers  from the car dealers.
He said  end users of vehicles  should not be subjected to any level of inconveniences as the service should take responsibility for failure to properly perform their duties of the  inspection of the  vehicles imported  into the country.
Shittu said that members of the association would partner with the customs service on the development  to check smuggled  vehicles  with due clearance by the NCS into the country as well as generate  revenue for the government.

Philip Okparaji