After being summoned by the Senate last week for daring to 'lift ban' on the importation of rice through the land borders, the Customs Comptroller General, Hameed Ali Ibrahim has said that he only "lifted the restrictions" that customs had earlier placed on rice imports through land borders.
After being summoned by the Senate last week for daring to 'lift ban' on the importation of rice through the land borders, the Customs Comptroller General, Hameed Ali Ibrahim has said that he only "lifted the restrictions" that customs had earlier placed on rice imports through land borders.
Ali at a press briefing in Ikeja Lagos last Friday accused the lawmakers of not having adequate understanding of the situation, even as he accused most Nigerian millers who according to him are taking advantage of the waivers on rice imports, of being ordinary traders and not genuine millers.
The C boss ntold maritime journalists that it was necessary to remove the restrictions on rice importation through land borders because Customs was losing revenue while smugglers were having a field day by smuggling rice through neighbouring Benin Republic and Niger Republic.
He however vowed that the service under his watch will pursue and reclaim the debts owed by Stallion Group, Olam and others who are currently in court with the Customs for allegedly violating conditions of the import waiver granted to them to import rice into the country at concessionary duty rate of 30 per cent, against the 70 per cent official rate.
The premises of the rice importers; Stallion, Olam, Popular Foods, Masco Agro, Ebony Agro and Conti Agro were in July 2015 shut down for allegedly owing government a total of N23.6billion.
These importers were beneficiaries of rice import quota policy that specified a preferential duty rate of 10 per cent and levy of 20 per cent on their imports.
Speaking further on the resolution of the Senate to summon the CG of Custom, Alli the said: "I am glad to use the word correctly because my lawmakers don't like to use the word correctly, they said we have 'lifted ban' on rice, but there has never been a ban on importation of rice, the Nigerian Customs in 2011 decided on its own to restrict the payment of duty on rice at the border only to the ports"
This is to reduce the quantum of rice so as to make sure so that NAFDAC who will certify the quality of the commodity will be available, but today we have NAFDAC in all our outfits.
"Most of these people that claim to be millers are not millers, they are traders, they are only using the opportunity because there is disparity between polished rice and brown rice, if you are bringing it to direct consumers you are paying 10 per cent duty 60 per cent levy, this is done in order to reduce the influx of rice and create jobs for our people"
"But we discovered that most of these people who claim to be millers were just taking advantage of the government" he said.
Ali assured that the rice imported through the borders will not impact negatively on Nigeria's agricultural products because there is so much gap and demand to be met.
"And rice is also among the items placed under FOREX restriction by the Central Bank, so people who want to import it must source their FOREX from somewhere and not through the normal formal" he said.
While reiterating his resolve to pursue the importers who owed the Federal Government by not paying correct duties, he said there are many of the importers who have exploited the waiver granted to them.
"I am hell bent on collecting that money, there is no going back, the court case will be pursued and we are already making sure that we follow step by step process of making them to pay" he said.
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