The Nigeria Customs Service has been accused of causing unnecessary delay in the clearance of imported used vehicles at the RORO terminal.
Operators alleged that there are multiple points where customs officers collect charges before vehicles exit the port.
The operators who spoke with Auto Port Weekly, last week in Lagos alleged that this sharp practice is common among customs officers at Five Star Logistics terminal, Tin Can Island. They lamented that the practice is adding to the cost of clearing imported vehicles from the port.
The Nigeria Customs Service has been accused of causing unnecessary delay in the clearance of imported used vehicles at the RORO terminal.
Operators alleged that there are multiple points where customs officers collect charges before vehicles exit the port.
The operators who spoke with Auto Port Weekly, last week in Lagos alleged that this sharp practice is common among customs officers at Five Star Logistics terminal, Tin Can Island. They lamented that the practice is adding to the cost of clearing imported vehicles from the port.
They however appealed to the new Comptroller General of Customs; Col Hammed Ali to put in a stop to this.
An importer and automobile dealer; Godwin Efosa who accompanied his agent to clear a Toyota Hiace bus recently told our correspondent that it ridiculous to see customs officers collect money from agents from one point to another.
Efosa alleged that "for valuation of the bus we were asked to pay N5000, but from what I noticed, payment for car is even more because I have a friend who cleared a car with N10000 on valuation".
According to him, the duty that was paid for clearing that bus was pegged at 195,000 but he ended up paying close to N250,000, he alleged that there were series of unnecessary levies.
He described such charges as illegal, alleging that more than five desks exist at the terminal, manned by customs officers to collect unnecessary tariff.
Listing some of the desks, Efosa said the valuation officer at the terminal collected N5000 from his agents; while that of the examination collected N10000.
He added that the officer in charge of gate also collect N10000 before the imported bus left the terminal.
He described the process as unfortunate because according to him, such practices might frustrate an importer.
"We will like the new customs boss to put in place measures to monitor officers at the terminal "
Efosa said the arbitrary charges by the customs on vehicles imported and awaiting clearance might force the owner to sell the vehicle at the port due to frustration from customs.
In a similar view, another Mr. Adekunle Adetunji urged the new Customs boss to put in place measures to curb the practice.
Adetunji added that the customs is the major cause behind delay of vehicles clearance.
"The challenges we are facing in the area of vehicle clearance from the port has to do with customs"
"They are the ones responsible for the delay in vehicles clearance", he alleged.
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