We Are Not Going Back on New VIN Valuation Policy Implementation, Customs CG Insists
HAMMED ALI CUSTOMS CG
By Our Reporter
The issue arising from the controversial Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) valuation policy which was introduced in February this year by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is yet to be settled.
Customs agents had embarked on strike in protest against the policy in what forced the Customs Service to suspend it for one month.
But the Comptroller-General of Customs, Hammed Ali, has made it clear that the Service will not stop the implementation perhaps after the one month suspension.
Incidentally, the policy witnessed about 300 percent increase on duties paid on vehicles imported into the country.
Ali during a visit two days ago to the Customs College , Ikeja, said he was determined to implement the new VIN policy.
He was quoted saying, “It is now one valuation for the same type of vehicle anywhere. We are moving forward; we can’t be retrogressive. When the freight forwarders came up with their issue of not liking the platform I was surprised because these were the same people that put us on the edge. So, I think it has come to stay and we will make sure it succeeds. Anytime I come to the port, there has been this issue of uniformity for values. They have complained of multiple valuations when they go to Apapa port, Tin Can and PTML where they get different values”.
The CG had during the occasion also said the newly acquired scanners were for security, assuring that very soon all would be deployed in both ports and border stations.
He said, “On the scanners, you know, when I came in, most of the scanners have run down and the information technology components especially as regards to scanners are time-bound.
“The highest they will stay is about seven years and even the manufacturers of the scanners will tell you that after seven years, you may not get the spare parts again. So those ones went obsolete and we have to devise a means of getting scanners. We were lucky we worked with the Ministry of Finance and today we have three mobile scanners that have been deployed.
“They are high-dimension scanners; they are exceptionally dynamic so we hope this is an intervention. We hope that the e-Customs, which is my baby, will come into place and if it comes into place, we expect that 135 scanners will be deployed nationwide. And that will take care of borders, land borders, airports, and sea borders,”
The issue arising from the controversial Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) valuation policy which was introduced in February this year by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is yet to be settled.
Customs agents had embarked on strike in protest against the policy in what forced the Customs Service to suspend it for one month.
But the Comptroller-General of Customs, Hammed Ali, has made it clear that the Service will not stop the implementation perhaps after the one month suspension.
Incidentally, the policy witnessed about 300 percent increase on duties paid on vehicles imported into the country.
Ali during a visit two days ago to the Customs College , Ikeja, said he was determined to implement the new VIN policy.
He was quoted saying, “It is now one valuation for the same type of vehicle anywhere. We are moving forward; we can’t be retrogressive. When the freight forwarders came up with their issue of not liking the platform I was surprised because these were the same people that put us on the edge. So, I think it has come to stay and we will make sure it succeeds. Anytime I come to the port, there has been this issue of uniformity for values. They have complained of multiple valuations when they go to Apapa port, Tin Can and PTML where they get different values”.
The CG had during the occasion also said the newly acquired scanners were for security, assuring that very soon all would be deployed in both ports and border stations.
He said, “On the scanners, you know, when I came in, most of the scanners have run down and the information technology components especially as regards to scanners are time-bound.
“The highest they will stay is about seven years and even the manufacturers of the scanners will tell you that after seven years, you may not get the spare parts again. So those ones went obsolete and we have to devise a means of getting scanners. We were lucky we worked with the Ministry of Finance and today we have three mobile scanners that have been deployed.
“They are high-dimension scanners; they are exceptionally dynamic so we hope this is an intervention. We hope that the e-Customs, which is my baby, will come into place and if it comes into place, we expect that 135 scanners will be deployed nationwide. And that will take care of borders, land borders, airports, and sea borders,”
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