CAPTION: A cross section of some seized exotic vehicles at the Federal Operatios Unit (FOU A) of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS)
African biggest automobile market, Berger Automobile Market has raised alarm over fake auto- dealers, whom the market leaders accused of spoiling the market.
The President of the Berger Automobile Dealers, Metche Nnadiekwe who said this in a chat with Shipping Position Daily in Lagos last week, also accused top government officials of delving into the business when they do not have the required experience to do so.
Metche who pleaded with the Federal Government to think towards reopening the land borders, also accused spare parts dealers of dabbling into car business that they know little about.
“One of the things they should even do is to know who is a genuine dealer and who is not a dealer, because people who are not dealers are messing up the whole of this business. Spare parts dealers, tyre sellers and other items are today dealers even some ministers and senators. If they go out there, travel for one reason or the other, they buy cars when they are coming back and they are all dealers now. A senator is a dealer in Nigeria likewise a minister and it is too bad, there is no regulation”
Metche who is also the chairman of Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria (AMDON) Lagos chapter also said that the association has lost many of its members and so many businesses lost because of the closure on land importation of vehicles.
“I believe in the good policies of the government because when policies are out like this, people will sit down and cross-fertilize ideas, bring out areas of their concerns and see how they can move forward. And if there is any input they will quickly do that the thing has been affecting our members; they have been suffering and a lot of people have died and a lot have gone to the village as a result of the closure of that land border”, he said”.
According to him, “How many people can afford to go to America to buy motor and how many can send money overseas for a car to be purchased for them. Sometimes it stays more than 2months before the car can get here. And what will you be doing for that 2months, but Cotonou is very close to us here, when they bring the motors there we will just cross over, buy the motor and pay the duty” he concluded.
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