Maritime expert wants government to reduce tariff on imported goods

As the country grapples with the effect of hyperinflation, the Chief Executive Officer/ Managing Director of King Shipping Trading Maritime Services Limited, Bob  Chukwuma Hyacinth,  has appealed to the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency effect a downward review of tariffs on imported goods to check the high cost of living in the country.

In an interview with Daily Sun, he explained that the rate at which tariffs are imposed on goods was alarming and this has led to more than 100  per cent increase in goods and services thereby impoverishing average Nigerians.

According to him, the high tariffs  was pushing many people  out of business thereby creating more crime and unemployment  in the country noting if the trend  is not checked, it will lead to more economic hardship  on the citizens.

“I’ m really  concerned like every other Nigerian  about the high tariff imposed on imported goods which has led to increase in prize of goods and services. It kept on increasing on daily basis thereby affecting the purchasing powers of Nigerians. It’s true that  the government is doing this to encourage the growth of our local industries  but the negative effect has been enormous because right now a lot of families cannot afford the basic necessities of life.

‘Right now, many importers  are out of business and the few that are still around prefer to  route their goods through  Cotonou and Lome which is relatively cheap thereby improving their economies and that’s why am appealing to government to have a second look at this policy,” he said. He also noted that there is need for government to make ports in Onne, Port Harcourt, Warri and Calabar  functional in order to lessen the burden of importers from the Eastern part of the country as well as reduce much stress on security agencies.