Last week’s statement credited to a retired senior Customs officer and currently a member of the Ntaional Assembly; Senator Ali Wakili about his plans to move for a review of the automotive policy, has received a wide commendation by stakeholders in the maritime sector as well as from automobile dealers and importers, they agreed that the policy on imported vehicles need to be reviewed.
Last week’s statement credited to a retired senior Customs officer and currently a member of the Ntaional Assembly; Senator Ali Wakili about his plans to move for a review of the automotive policy, has received a wide commendation by stakeholders in the maritime sector as well as from automobile dealers and importers, they agreed that the policy on imported vehicles need to be reviewed.
A cross section of maritime operators who spoke with Auto Port Weekly, promised to galvanize support for the move to ensure that the controversial policy on fairly used and new vehicle importation is reviewed in order to protect freight forwarding and vehicle dealership businesses respectively.
They also said that the July commencement date of the full implementation of the 70% duty and levy should be halted because it will bring about more hardship for the practitioners.
According to them ,the Jonathan administration brought some high level of limitation on imported vehicles and there is an urgent need for the government to revisit the policy for the maritime business to thrive.
They noted that the automotive policy robbed off negative on maritime business and the economy of the nation, even as they added that terminal operators, shipping lines agencies, shippers and their principals suffered.
Speaking with our correspondent on the Senator’s pledge to the champion the reversal, a frontline car dealer in Lagos, Chief Michael Okafor said that a large number of dealers have abandoned shipping of vehicles because of the policy introduced by the ex-President Goodluck Jonathan administration.
Okafor said the Senator's pledge rekindle hope in the heart of the ordinary shipper who make a living from vehicle importation, saying that if reviewed to suit the common man, it will also boost the economy of Nigeria.
According to the dealer, a senator that understands the implications of the policy on vehicle importation must be encouraged by all maritime practitioners including car dealers, importers, clearing agents, terminal operators and shipping companies, because the policy has affected every stakeholder.
He appealed to Senator Ali Wakili not to relent in his pledge; he called on other National Assembly members to see reasons why the policy should be reviewed.
He said the new administration under President Buhari has not given any policy direction on automobile, but it would be better for the policy to be revisited..
Meanwhile, another stakeholder; Mr. Matthew Obi called on the government to consider the duty hike on imported used vehicles because shippers of such commodities employed more worker than who import new vehicles.
He added that the Senate will forever remain in the minds of car dealers; mostly in the used car import business if the policy is reversed.
However, President, Shippers Associations of Lagos State (SALS), Reverend Jonathan Nicole in a chat with news men also added that there is need for government to review the automobile policy.
He said that the policy on vehicle is not favourable to Nigerians because of its poor transport system.
He said that the Nigeria transport system is archaic, hence there is need to modernize policies surrounding the sector.
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