Berger automobile dealers have urged the federal government to slow down the age limit policy on imported vehicles, saying that it will deny man Nigerians the opportunity to own a car.
The President of United Berger Motor Dealers Association (UBMDA) Metche Nnadiekwe, who said this in a chat with Shipping Position Daily in Lagos last week, also maintained that as a big country, there are some workers whose salaries are so meagre that they will not be able to afford fairly new vehicles.
“I don’t think there is a regulation on over-aged vehicles; they said it before but at a time they slowed down on the regulations. Nigeria is a big country and as you are now I don’t know how much you earn in your place of work, so if they maintained that age limit on imported vehicles, when can an ordinary Nigerian save up to that amount to be able to buy such a vehicle”
Metche however said that when the age limit policy is slowed down, it will give room for many people to be able to at least afford a good car for themselves.
“I think by the time the government slow down on the age limit on these imported vehicles, it will help the poor masses, the middle class can get involved because if you can save up to N1million you come here and you get a clean car for yourself and family”
Explaining further, he said, “If I begin to mention how much we have lost to this bad road, maybe we will not leave here on time, I think the best thing the government should do is to fasten this road repair because container falls on a daily basis here and it is not healthy, people are no longer coming to patronize us again”
Metche pleaded with the federal government to support the automobile market, especially in the area of ensuring that the duties are reduced so that the prices can come down.
“This market should be a pride to Nigeria; the government should even encourage us for putting something like this together, go round and see the massive nature off this place. Another challenge here is the duty payable on imported vehicles, because when they take these duties up if will affect the prices of the vehicles because anybody that is doing business wants to make profit. Because if the clearing cost is very low the prices will also be low” he said.
He however said that the market has been able to provide jobs for many Nigerians who should be jobless committing one crime or the other.
“A lot of people that just came out from school no employment or them we gave them employment here and there is a lot of people feeding from this place. That is why I am saying that the government should encourage us in what we are doing here. They should even come to ask us our challenges and we will tell them so that they will help to make it what it is supposed to be” concluded.
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