Stories by Godfrey Bivbere

The Nigerian Shippers Council, NSC has brokered a meeting between the National Automative Council, NAC and the freight forwarding groups over the new auto policy that has resulted in the increase of duty on imported fairly used vehicles by 70 percent.

The meeting which was held on Tuesday at the head office of the NSC had in attendance, officials of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA, the National Association of Government Approved |Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF.

National President of ANLCA, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, told Vanguard that the purpose of the meeting was to inform freight forwarders who have severally protested the new policy, about government processes leading to its implementation.

Shittu noted that though the NAC team made the position of government known, they still have reservations about the sincerity of intention. He explained that his association suggested to the NAC that a five years implementation plan should be put to eliminate the suffering of Nigerians should the policy be implemented as planned.

The ANLCA boss said that they stressed that the immediate implementation will have social and economic effect on the nation. He said the NAC team was told that most Nigerians based abroad are involved in the importation of fairly used vehicles which they use in catering for their families.

Shittu said the NAC team was told that immediate implementation send a lot of people who depend on trading on tokunbo cars for a living out of work. The ANLCA boss also said that they expressed their displeasure about not being consulted before the conceiving and implementation of the new auto policy.

He said that the NAC apologied for not involving stakeholders but assured that next time, they would ensure that critical stakeholders are consulted and represented during policy formation.

The meeting is as a result of a directive from the presidency for the NSC to intervene on the issue as the economic port regulator for the maritime industry.

Recall that the federal government had jacked up duties on imported used vehicles by 70 percent late last year. The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS had commenced the implementation early this year by increasing the duty by 35 percent and was set to further add the other 35 percent this month before the commencement date was shifted.