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| Hameed Ali, Customs boss |
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), has
ordered the immediate removal of rice from import restriction list and
the re-introduction of import duty payment at land borders.
The Public Relations Officer of customs, Mr Wale Adeniyi, made this
known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday
in Abuja.
He said the restriction was only applied at land border stations before
now, adding that the customs boss had lifted restriction on rice at
border stations.
Adeniyi said that all rice imports through land borders by rice traders
would attract the prevailing import duty of 10 per cent with 60 per cent
levy.
He added that rice millers (preferential levy) with valid quota
allocation would also attract duty rate of 10 per cent with 20 per cent
levy on rice importation.
“Over the years importation has been restricted to the seaports because
border authorities have found it difficult to effectively monitor and
control importation of rice.
“When the decision to ban it (rice) was taken it was not an effective
measure because smuggling of the product thrives with people using
different means of conveyance including small trucks, bicycles and even
animals – putting them on donkeys and some actually carry it on their
heads.
“These new measures will be for customs to reognise their
anti-smuggling operations in the border areas and ensure that all those
importers through the borders bring their rice through approved routes
and pay their extant duty. “
(NAN)
