FG Urged To Lift Ban Importation Of Rice Through Land Borders

 The Trans-Boarder Traders Association of Nigeria on Thursday appealed to the Federal Government to lift the banon  the importation of rice through land borders.
Mr Okunola Mikky, the National Coordinator of the association, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Badagry, Lagos State.
Mikky said that the ban had increased smuggling activities through the land borders, adding that smuggling had negative impact on the economy of a country.

 The Trans-Boarder Traders Association of Nigeria on Thursday appealed to the Federal Government to lift the banon  the importation of rice through land borders.
Mr Okunola Mikky, the National Coordinator of the association, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Badagry, Lagos State.
Mikky said that the ban had increased smuggling activities through the land borders, adding that smuggling had negative impact on the economy of a country.
"The Federal Government, in its determination to block revenue loopholes in 2011, banned the importation of rice through the country's land borders.
"The expectation of this was that if rice is allowed to come through the seaports only, it would be available at reasonable prices.
“And no one would have unfair opportunity to escape payment of duties and levies, but this has not been the case.
"Genuine rice importers are required by law to pay customs duty and levies, a condition those who engage in smuggling often try to evade.
“This makes smugglers either to sell at the market price and make excessive profit, or sell slightly below the market price and undercut honest importers.
"Basically, this policy has resulted in outrageous and alarming rate of rice smuggling and the Federal Government should try to reverse this,” Mikky said.
He said that a survey revealed that about 1.6 million bags of rice worth N9.7 billion were smuggled into the country from Benin Republic monthly.
He added that this had impacted negatively on genuine investors and government's numerous initiatives to encourage local rice production.
He commended the Seme Border Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NSC) for its efforts to curtail smuggling, but urged the government to lift the ban on the importation of rice.