The Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN) has said that reduction on the duties payable on vehicles imported into the country would reduce the high rate of unemployment in the country, adding that the automotive policy has rendered millions of Nigerians jobless.
The President General of MWUN, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, who said this in a chat with newsmen in Lagos recently was reacting to the recent call by the Comptroller General of Customs, Col Hameed Ali(Rtd) for the reduction of duties on imported vehicles.
He also added that the reduction will provide jobs for the freight forwarders, concessionaires and shipping line agencies, adding that it would boost revenue drive of the customs.
Adeyanju lauded the Customs boss for the initiative, saying that there is need for duties on imported vehicles into the country to be reduced.
The MWUN PG who was recently elected as Trustee executive of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) also pointed that there that there are enormous benefits to stakeholders in the industry if the duty on imported vehicles can be reduced.
He described the customs boss as a listening leader who understands the plights of Nigerians.
“I am in line with the CG of Customs on duty reduction on imported vehicles because some of us cannot afford to buy cars any more. But with the CG of customs coming out to advice government on the need to reduce duty of vehicles importation then I must commend him for that alone”.
According to him, members of the union were also affected due to the low level of vehicles importation in Nigeria, adding that the RORO terminals were forced to sack a large number of workers.
Adeyanju expressed optimism that the government would yield to the clarion call of the customs boss and Nigerians, saying that the automotive policy is anti-people.
He however lamented that the automotive policy made millions of Nigerians jobless hence the call for its review.
“If government can yield to that advice by the Customs boss, then I can tell you that dockworkers will benefit from it, shipping companies will reap from it, same goes to the terminal operators and other sub sector operators in the industry. The issue of smuggling of cars into Nigeria will reduce, because the importers will patronize our ports. Therefore I want to align with the Comptroller General of Customs on this” he said.
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