For all the reasons there are and could be, the Nigeria print, electronic and social media space, in the last ten days have been saturated with the ongoing drama between members of the Nigerian senate and the Nigeria Customs service boss, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd.). The development has generated quite a bit of interest and public opinion that keeps coming back in new light. However, in order not to be enveloped in what I chose to call the ‘uniform camouflage’ in place of the crux of the matter, it is imperative to once again dwell deliberately on the real reason behind the invitation of the custom boss.
For the first time in a while, I must say that I am poised to align myself with the position of the Nigerian Senate, not on the child’s play of whether Ali wears the custom uniform or not, but on the substance of staying action on its proposed plan to collect duties on all vehicles in the country, including old ones. Like many groups in the country have alluded, I think that it is a preposterous anomaly that any institution set up for the smooth running of the society, with the purpose of achieving greater good for the people will turn round to create a provision of inconvenience and discomfort for the same people it is supposed to serve.
In a statement from its Acting Public Relations Officer, Joseph Atta, the Nigeria Customs intends to mandate vehicles owners, who did not pay Customs duty to do so between March 13 and April 12. The statement reads in part: “All persons in possession of such vehicles should take advantage of the grace period to pay appropriate dues on them, as there will be an aggressive anti -smuggling operation to seize as well as prosecute owners of such smuggled vehicles after the deadline of April 12”.
From the point of logic and reason, it is important to take out time to consider the merits and implications of this proposed policy and here’s my submission; whatever policy that deliberately targets society’s low and struggling strata to deliberately put them through sheer distress shouldn’t qualify to be a policy in the first place. On this particular development it is clear that the Nigeria customs service is standing alone, completely detached from the real stakeholders which includes a majority of vehicle users, the motor dealers, the Nigeria Labor Congress and now strongly enlisted, the Nigeria Senate.
In the view of the NLC, it is logistically corrupt and will create unimaginable chaos and suffering for innocent vehicle users. If a picture will be painted of what will result, should this policy see the light of day, will be to think of my aged uncle, who imported his Peugeot 404 into the country in the 80’s and currently has no use for it except for its being parked, fully covered in his garage. Will the customs visit my uncle’s house to carry out a check or will they require him to come to them with the details of the moribund property? These and many other questions are what the proponents of this policy should provide answers to without adopting the lens of bias.
While I support the Senate’s resolution passed on January 10, calling on the federal government to suspend action on the importation of vehicles through the land borders, it is expedient to establish that this decision was rebuffed and is still being blatantly ignored especially as some custom officers are still seen along major roads bringing road users into unnecessary scrutiny over the status of their vehicles.
To say that Nigerians have grown weary of the numerous and incessant police and army check points is a mild attempt at stating the obvious. Adding the customs stop-and-search checkpoints to the roads then, is not only an attempt at making a bad situation worse but also a deliberate effort at aggravating the suffering of motorists, commuters, and millions of other road users.
Granted, the agency like any other, seeks to rake in revenue for the Government. However, what is unfair is placing revenue way above welfare. In the same span of time, the Federal Government has raised duties on luxury goods such as yachts and new fully built cars which include Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) imported into the country from 20% to 70 %. Tariff on used cars popularly known as ‘Tokunboh’, was increased from 10 per cent to 35 per cent. This move has been justified by the Nigerian Customs much to the dismay of many, as a move to encourage local production and assemblage of cars in Nigeria. However, in reality the policy has turned out to b a Trojan horse on the people. Sad to say, the policy meant to support local production of cars is bereft of the appropriate support and infrastructure while killing the businesses of operators that are legitimately carrying out their activities before what now appears to be a draconian automobile policy of the Customs.
Although the Nigeria customs has explained that what it wants to do is to ensure that duties are paid on every car in Nigeria no matter the year of purchase, if the duties were not paid at the point of entry into Nigeria, then let us ask the Nigerian Customs service what happened at the ports. One would agree that the intricacies of getting this right and the complexities involved makes it at best, dead on arrival.
It is expected then, that from the point of logic and fairness the government will seek to establish a sustainable and all-inclusive policy that is realistic, achievable and measurable. For this reason, the Customs service seriously needs a review of its proposed policy. An impactful meeting with the ministry of finance, the labor congress, the association of motor dealers and other relevant delegates who form part of what I choose to term the ‘real stakeholders’ is not only imperative but also expedient.
While Nigerians express their belief in the words of the Acting public relations officer, Nigeria Customs Service, Mr Joseph Attah who assured that the service has no plans to set up checkpoints in streets, cities and market to seize old vehicles without customs duty, what is left however is to ensure that the observed stop and search experience of some motorists on Lagos-Ibadan expressway by some custom officers (on illegal duties I assume) is put to a halt.
Ensuring this will not only demonstrate that all parties involved are operating within the ambit of the law, but also reflects a system that places high premium on the overall interest of its people.
Eniola Abidoye
Eniola Abidoye is a public analyst from Lagos. eniolaabidoye@gmail.com
