Senate seeks policy reversal on vehicle importation
Plan by the federal government to stop importation of vehicles into Nigeria through land boarders suffered a hitch, Wednesday, as Senate called on the Customs Service to immediately suspend action on the policy.
In line with plans to conserve exchange and streamline importation of vehicles, the government had instituted a plan to stop the importation with effect from January this year.
The Senate during Wednesday plenary, rejected the idea through a motion titled, “The Ban on Importation of Vehicles through the Land Borders into the Country” and sponsored by Senator Barau Jibrin (Kano North) and four others.
Barau in his lead debate noted that the ban would lead to the loss of about 500,000 jobs by the people engaged in the business of vehicles importation and handling services in the border areas and around the country.
He noted also that the economy of the border villages and towns that depend on activities of vehicle importation shall be adversely affected to the detriment of all.
He said, “Since the announcement, through the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigerians have spoken out, and they still do, that it is not economically expedient to ban importation of vehicles through our land borders given the ramification of such a policy on the economy.
He said, “The decision was ostensibly premised on the allegation that importation of vehicles through the land borders no longer hold good prospect for revenue generation because of the large scale evasion of import duties.
“Rather than stop or suspend the importation of vehicles through our land borders as envisaged in the new policy, it would make better economic sense to allow for the importation of vehicles through one entry border post in each geopolitical zone that has international land border in the country.
“This will allow for better monitoring and control by the Customs Service, as the land border posts shall become fewer to handle by the Nigerian Customs Service compared to the current situation.”
The Senators, in their contributions, all expressed support for the motion, canvassing for reversal of the governments’ policy in the interim.
Senator Ali Ndume, in his contribution, said: “Let us not forget the fact that the constitution says the primary responsibility of government is for the security and welfare of the people. This policy will render so many small businesses useless. My constituents are disturbing me to ensure that this policy is reversed.
“Why can’t Nigeria look at its policy to ensure that our laws are reformed? The era where people stay in their offices and make policies that are detrimental to the welfare of the people is wrong. I call on this Senate to pass this motion with teeth. This resolution should be implemented when passed.”
Dino Melaye said: “We are in a precarious situation in this country. We are at a time when people live and not sure where the next meal will come from. This government needs to consider the welfare of the people. In enacting any policy, we must look at the social impacts.
“This policy announcement, to me, is admittance by Customs that they lack the capacity to mount our borders effectively. As a parliament, we must speak in the interest of the people. We should be seen to be defending the people we are representing here.”
Senate committee chairman on works, Kabiru Gaya, said: “As legislators, we should speak the truth, though this is our government. By stopping importation through land borders, we are creating hardship. Other countries within West Africa region have lower tariffs. We have to look at this issue.
“Let government man the borders and do the right thing. By this policy, we have created a new unemployment of over 500,000. This policy can increase in the states. We should reverse to the former policy. We should stop this policy.”
The Senate later resolved and called on the Customs Service to suspend further action on its policy of an outright ban on the importation of vehicles through our land borders as from January 1, 2017 and mandated the Senate Committees on Customs to investigate the circumstances that led to the sudden decision of the federal government on the issue of the importation of vehicles through the land borders.
