Food, luxury goods’ tariff remains unchanged —FG

THE federal Ministry of Finance, on Friday, debunked reports in many news outlets that it has, through the 2016 Fiscal Policy Measures (FPM), raised import duties on food items and luxury goods.

“The correct position is that, the 2016 FPM did not involve any upward review of tariff on the affected food items and luxury goods.

“On the contrary, tariffs for those items remained at their 2015 levels, while duties for some other items were actually reduced.

“A comparison of the 2015 Fiscal Policy Measures Circular dated 20th March, 2015 and the 2016 Fiscal Policy Measures dated 29th November, 2016 will affirm this position,” the ministry said.

A statement signed by Director of Information, Salisu Na’Inna Dambatta, explained that pharmaceutical products were already in the import prohibition list.

With regard to the 20 per cent duty on pharmaceutical products in the 2016 Fiscal Policy Measures, it should be noted that “This is in support of government’s intention to give further encouragement and desirable protection to local manufacturers of pharmaceutical products and ensure that those who, despite the prohibition, import such products under special permission, pay the required duties” of 20 percent, the statement added.

Items in the trade prohibition list include live or dead birds including frozen poultry pork, beef, bird eggs excluding hatching eggs, refined vegetable oil but excluding refined linseed, castor and olive oil.  Crude vegetable oil are, however, not banned from importation.

The list also includes cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose, in solid form containing added flavouring or colouring matter in retail packs, cocoa butter, powder and cakes, spaghetti/noodles, fruit juice in retail packs, waters, including mineral waters and aerated waters, containing added sugar or sweetening matter or flavoured, ice snow, other non-alcoholic beverages (but excluding energy or health drinks – liquid dietary supplements) and beer and stout (bottled, canned or otherwise packed).

In addition, bagged cement, medicament such as: paracetamol tablets Syrups, Cotrimozazole tablets and syrups, metronidazole tablets and syrups, chloroquine tablets and syrups, Haematinic formulations, waste pharmaceuticals, soaps and detergents in retail packs, mosquito repellant coils, sanitary wares of plastics and domestic articles and wares of plastic (but excluding Baby Feeding Bottles 3924.90.20.00) and (flushing cistern and waterless toos toilets) are on the list.

Rethreaded and used pneumatics tyres but excluding used trucks tyres for rethreading of size 11.00 x 20 and above, corrugated paper and paper boards and cartons, boxes and cases made from corrugated paper and paper boards, toilet paper, cleansing or facial tissue, excluding baby diapers and incotinent pads for adult use and exercise books.

In addition, it is prohibited for anyone to import telephone recharge cards and vouchers carpets and other textile floor coverings, all types of footwears, bags and suitcases, but excluding safety shoes used in oil industries, sports shoes, canvass shoes and all Completely Knocked Down (CKD), blanks and parts, hollow glass bottles of a capacity exceeding 150 mls (0.15 litres) of all kinds used for packaging beverages by Breweries and other beverages and drinks company.

Others are used compressors, used air conditioners and used fridges/freezers, used motor vehicles above 15 years from the year of manufacture, furniture but excluding baby walkers, laboratory cabinets such as microscope table, fume cupboards, laboratory benches, stadium chairs, height adjustment device, base sledge, seat frames and control mechanism, arm guide and head guides.

Also excluded are; skeletal parts of furniture such as blanks, upholstered or unfinished part of metal, plastics, veneer, chair shell etc. ball point pen and parts including refills (excluding tip).