FG seals hope of vehicle imports via land borders as trapped agents seek grace
There is still confusion at several land borders formally known for car imports as the federal Government yesterday cemented it decision to maintain ban on importation of vehicle via land borders, a policy that came into effect since January 1, this year.
Checks by Business Hilights at Seme and Idiroko border posts Thursday showed that over 10,000 cars were caught in the web of late payments for clearance before the deadline of the ban.
However, car dealers and Customs clearing agents are still continuing to mount pressure on the Federal Government not to reverse the ban on the importation of vehicles through land borders, but to give additional grace period considering the fact that the ban coincided with end of the year when several business activities are jam-packed with yuletide activities.
Further investigations revealed that the ban will definitely lead to a hike in the prices of vehicles, including new ones whose dealers are reportedly using the land borders to avoid paying the right import tariffs.
It would be recalled the Federal Government had on December 5, 2016, announced the ban on the importation of used and new vehicles through the land borders with effect from January 1, 2017.
The spokesman for the Seme Command of the NCS, Mr. Selechang Taupyen, said a few vehicles were escorted into the country at the tail end of the last working day of last year (Friday) and that the owners could not make payment before the ban took effect.
According to him, “for such vehicles to be cleared, clarifications would have to be obtained from the head office of the Customs in Abuja before they could be cleared.
