By Steve Agbota
The Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has called on the Federal Government to reduce the age limit on mported vehicles from the current 12 years to 15 years to generate more revenue. The Acting President of ANLCA, Dr Kayode Farinto, who stated this in his message on Saturday to felicitate with Muslims on the celebration of this year’s Eid-El Kabir, said that there is a need to review and rejig the entire auto policy. He lamented that that the entire auto policy is a fiddle that has continued to enrich few individuals at the detriment of the overall Nigerian economy.
“The age limit on imported vehicles needs to be reviewed to at least 15 years from the current 12 years. The entire auto policy is a scam that has continued to enrich few individual Nigerians at the detriment of our economy.
“With the introduction in the last 10 years or more, we are unable to produce ordinary radiator, meanwhile few people are smiling home with our money under the guise of being local Assemblers and manufacturers. It is high time we revised this policy,” he stated. However, he emphasised the need for the Federal Government to have consistent policy in the maritime industry, adding that frequent changing of Transportation Minister’s is detrimental to stakeholders businesses.
“This trial and error of the government must be stopped forthwith, just when we thought there is eureka in the transportation ministry, the government decide to change the minister to bring a new person that will start learning and commence visitation in the next three months. We are stagnant and not really moving forward with this retrogressive steps every time and it is encouraging neocolonialism.
“The Federal Government in line with international best practices needs to re organise and re -orientate the manageent of Nigeria Customs service from the present moribund one. The present one has continually bring confusion to the trading community with her high handedness, without control and checks to the extent that the federal ministry of Finance has lost her supervisory role hence the high level of non-professionalism to the nation. “Finally, we urge our members to increase our level of compliance to show our patriotism to the nation, as professionals that we are known for.