National Automotive Policy has failed—ANLCA president-elect

The newly elected National President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Iju Tony Nwabunike, has said that hence forth, the association would make inputs into Federal Government’s fiscal policies, especially those that affect freight forwarders and customs brokerage agents, including the National Automotive Policy.

Nwabunike, who spoke in an exclusive interview, also disclosed that the association under his watch will adopt modern and legitimate mechanisms in addressing all issues that pertain to members’ welfare and efficient port operations, by employing dialogue not confrontation.

According to the newly elected ANLCA National President, “For instance, we would want to make necessary inputs into fiscal policies that affect us, especially fixing of tariffs and charges, we will dialogue with relevant government agencies in this direction. We believe that the government should revisit the issue of the 41 items blacklisted from accessing foreign exchange through the official market. We also think that the government should at this time review its vehicle import policy, especially the ban on the importation of vehicles through the land border.

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“Everyone knows that this policy has not achieved its desired objectives for obvious reasons. So it is high time the government allowed the importation of vehicles through land borders, especially Seme and Idiroko, but efforts must be made to ensure that appropriate duty is paid on any vehicle so imported. We will not in any way condone or abate sharp practices and so all accruable revenue must go to the government.”

Nwabunike, who was the pioneer chairman of the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding Practice in Nigeria CRFFN, also hinted that the association will seek a review of import tariff and charges for some staple foods consumed mostly by the poor masses such as rice, tomato puree. He however said it is commendable that the government is trying to encourage local production of such products, but insists that in situations where locally produced ones cannot meet the needs of the over 180 million Nigerians, the shortfall should be imported, at least until the country is self -sufficient in the production of such items.