Automobile importers and dealers have been expressing divergent positions on Monday's announcement of ban on importation of vehicles through the land borders.
While auto dealers under the aegis of Motor Dealers Association of Nigeria called for caution, warning that the new directive would escalate social vices in the country.
President General of the association; Chief Metchie Nnadiekwe told our correspondent yesterday that, the ban will fuel smuggling and increase crime rate in the country, saying that it was an ill-conceived directive by the government. He said in a telephone chat that the timing of the policy was wrong.
In his opinion, "smuggling will increase because the vehicles must come into Nigeria. I believe it was an ill-conceived idea by the government, because if they had wanted the ban to work, they should have provided an alternative but without an alternative they placed a ban, then I think government should prepare to combat smuggling because it will increase."
Nnadiekwe added that the ban was too sudden; he wondered why the Federal Government would want to encourage smuggling through its policies.
"Importation of vehicles is not the problem of this country? The ban is too sudden and before we begin to ban, we must make provision for certain things. "
"I believe this ban will only encourage and increase smuggling whether they like it or not because we don't manufacture any vehicle here in Nigeria," he said.
But disagreeing with, another importer/dealer; Mr Ekene Obeleagu, Nnadiekwe said that the ban was a good development as it would increase government revenue.
According to him, 99 per cent of vehicles imported into neighbouring countries are destined for Nigerian market and they are either smuggled or full duty averted at the various entry points into the country.
Obeleagu supported the ban calling it a right step in the right direction.
"It is a good development because Nigerians are 99 per cent buyers of vehicles that are imported through Cotonou.
"The vehicles are imported and they pay terminal charges, shipping charges and the rest to the neighbouring countries, while their government have their own percentage."
"Most of these vehicles are thereafter smuggled into the country through the land borders without paying requisite duty or tariff to the Nigerian government, so I believe this policy reversal will increase government revenue at the ports," Obeleagu told our correspondent
Another stakeholder and Managing Director of Dubez Motors; Mr Ndubisi Nwabueze said the ban would take the country back to the years of high vehicles importation through the land borders.
He queried why the FG would introduced the policy when Nigerians who purchased vehicles at the borders do pay their tariff thereby swelling the revenue profile of border commands of the Customs service.
"This policy will take us back to the dark years when government ban importation of vehicles through the land borders and smuggling activities increases. This policy will increase smuggling at the land borders.
"It is an unfortunate decision that will put more hardship on the people because most vehicles that are imported through the land borders have their duties paid and this is evident in the revenue profile of border commands of the Customs Service, but with this decision, smuggling will be high because the demand for the vehicle is high in Nigeria."
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