‘’If the National Council of Managing Director of Licensed Customs Agents did not fight for the removal of Import Duty Report [IDR]on imported used vehicles, many Nigerians would not have the opportunity to own a car because we also fought to remove the one percent Freight On Board [FOB] for used vehicles, and struggled to ensure that the age limit of vehicles imported into the country was increased from five years to eight and eventually, to 10 years’’.
‘’If the National Council of Managing Director of Licensed Customs Agents did not fight for the removal of Import Duty Report [IDR]on imported used vehicles, many Nigerians would not have the opportunity to own a car because we also fought to remove the one percent Freight On Board [FOB] for used vehicles, and struggled to ensure that the age limit of vehicles imported into the country was increased from five years to eight and eventually, to 10 years’’.
Those were the words of the factional president of National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, Mr Lucky Eyis Amiwero in his office in Lagos last week, while speaking about the impact of his association on the Nigerian maritime sector.
Speaking with Shipping Position Daily, on some of the government policies that have been influenced by his association, Amiwero noted that in 1998 and 1999 respectively, age limit of fairly used vehicles was five year but after series of letters to the government, this led to a change which brought the age limit to 10 years.
Amiwero stated that the favourable government policies on importation of used vehicles into the nation’s seaport has led to drastic decline of imported vehicles through neighbouring port of Cotonuo in Benin Republic, which had enjoyed a boom as Nigerians diverted to that country’s port.
The frontline agent revealed that the policy on imported used vehicles, made the country to lose about 40% of her traffic to Cotonou, therefore giving huge revenue to other neighbouring countries.
He said the policy also increased the rate at which vehicles were smuggled into the country but, claimed that his association fought to ensure that the country gained back her traffic from other West African nations which also led to the reduction of smuggled used vehicles into the country.
‘’As a result of Import Duty Report payment on imported used vehicles In 1998 and 1999, importation of such categories of vehicles dropped in the country given rise to Cotonuo port and that reduced the number of traffic coming to Nigeria which affected vehicles to the extent that the traffic of vehicles was sent down to Seme and other border areas therefore most cars were smuggled into the country and on the basis of that, we at the National Council of Managing Director of Licensed Customs Agents took of the fight that we have to gain back our traffic and it was later changed to favour everybody’’, he said.
A document sighted by our correspondent also revealed that the association also drew the attention of the then- minister of state for finance to the collection of 1% Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme [ CISS] fee on used vehicles imported into the country in the year 2000 which was later removed by the government.
Mr Amiwero also said that “we struggled to ensure that IDR was removed from every fairly- used vehicles imported into the country and not only that it was a big battle, it took a long time to achieve, we spent our time,resources and energy therefore Nigeria should appreciate our efforts at ensuring that vehicles can be purchased at an affordable price’’.
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