Even as thousands of imported used vehicles destined for Nigeria remain trapped at various land borders, the National President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA); Prince Olayiwola Shittu has expressed support for the policy.
He told our correspondent exclusively that even though it appears that those vehicles that have been trapped since January when the policy kicked-off; there are ways to get out of the logjam.
Speaking specifically about the vehicles trapped at the Cotonou end of the Nigeria-Benin Republic border, the ANLCA President said, there are shipping lines that can freight the vehicles to Nigeria from Cotonou port.
Even though he did not mention those shipping lines, he nevertheless said that, “there are shipping lines that can bring them to Nigeria, but it will add more to the cost”.
“Anybody that approaches a shipping company can arrange for a vessel to bring those vehicles that have been abandoned there at Cotonou. Some vessels coming to Nigeria stop at those places, so if you know those vehicles that are trapped there, you can discuss with the shipping company so that as they are stopping there, they will be picking your vehicles, because some of these vehicles are on transit to Nigeria”.
He advised importers and dealers of such vehicles to “make the arrangement with shipping companies”, so as to evacuate the vehicles to Nigeria, instead of losing them or selling them at a ridiculous price across the border.
He also said ANLCA requested for a three months grace period before implementation of the policy, but lamented that its plea was not taken.
Shittu also alleged that, “more than 60% of those vehicles coming to Nigeria are smuggled. If you come through the approved route you pay your duty. That was why we wanted three months to be given before the implementation. Three months is not too much so that the incentive will be that the ones that have gotten there will come through the border not smuggled”.
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