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By Steve Agbota
Clearing agents operating at the Tin Can Island Port and PTML have called on Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to suspend the controversial Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) valuation system used in allocating standard values to all vehicles coming into the country.
As the protests entered day three, the frieght forwarders said that they are not asking Customs to suspend the policy outrightly but should return to the old system until the anomalies in the new system would be resolved.
Speaking with Daily Sun yesterday, the Chairman of Association of Registered Freight Forwarders Nigeria (ARFFN) PTML chapter, Emmanuel Ohambele, said the policy will encourage smuggling if not well structured and implemented, forcing importers to start using the port of neighbouring countries again.
According to him, in 1995, there was a similar policy that was passed by Customs that made Nigerian importers leave Nigerian ports in bringing in their goods and they resorted to the use ofof Cotonou port, saying within that space of time, the Cotonou economy witnessed tremendous growth.
He said the revenue that ought to be generated into the government coffers will be going to other nigbouring countries, saying it appears the policymakers are sabotaging Nigerians.
He said the policy will lead to job losses considering the number of people working at the ports, saying government is not creating jobs for the youths, but freight forwarders are doing that.
He urged Customs to allow the policy to have human face, saying it is like someone is trying to sabotage the efforts of Minister of Finance because the policy is outrageous.
All of us go to the same market to buy. For instance, a 2010 model of Toyota Camry of 2010, before now cost i N700, 000 to N800,000 toclear including duty payable but today, the duty alone is N2.5 million making it more than 300 per cent increase. We are begging, let the Customs do the needful by following due process because the economy is already bad at the moment.
He said the protests started at PTML being cars terminal after 72 hours given to Customs to look at the issues of VIN Valuation as it affects the agents and importers.
We commenced the protests from PTML to Tin Can Command and Port and Cargo. We intended going to Apapa today but the Commissioner of Police intervened and ask us to wait to see the outcome of their meeting today. If there is no outcome today, probably we will go there tomorrow to sensitise our people there.
He said the protests has been so progressive and people have been complying, saying there is no reported case of hijack because everybody is feeling the pains.
“We are feeling the pains and the economy is already hurt and the Customs wants to add more pains to it. Instead of them to allievate the problems they are trying to compound it.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman, National Council of Managing Director of Licensed Customs Agent, Tin Can Chapter, Abayomi Duyile, urged the Customs to do the right thing by looking at the values issued to the agents. He said that agents pay about N200,000 last year, which is the lowest and currently is about N400,000.
He said if there are 6000 vichicles trapped at the port now, in the next few days, there would be over 12,000 vehicles that will likely to be trapped.
