The Federal Government may relax the ban on importation of vehicles through the land border.

The government had in January 2017 ordered a ban on importation of vehicles through the land borders.

The restriction on the importation of vehicles followed that of rice, whose imports through the land borders had been banned since April 2016.

But the government may reconsider its decision after the successful implementation of a new initiative by the Nigeria Customs Service and the Customs Service of the Republic of Benin to automate and network all electronic information about incoming cargoes through the border.


The Comptroller General, NCS, Col Hameed Ali (retd.), who was represented by the Assistant Comptroller, Information and Communication Technology, Benjamin Aber, at a stakeholders’ meeting on the new initiative, expressed confidence that with a successful implementation of the bilateral electronic connectivity programme between Nigeria and Republic of Benin, the Federal Government might lift the ban on items coming through the land border.

Ali said the decision of the government to shut down importation of vehicles through the border was because the government did not have a reliable system that would assist in controlling importation.


With declarations made for imports transiting from either of the countries electronically shared, the process of import and export would be done in a transparent manner and the government seeing such transparency would be convinced to relax its stance on land border importation.

He said “Vehicles were formerly being imported through the Seme border, but suddenly it was banned because the pressure of enforcement of anti-smuggling for vehicles and claiming of lives and revenue were becoming too alarming, so the government had to restrict the importation through Nigerian ports.


“When vehicles came through the land border, we did not have a record of how the imported cars came here and fake documentation became a common phenomenon. The ban was just a control measure against the practice.”

He added, “By the time we successfully deploy this reliable, transparent and predictable programme that would assist government agencies, not only Customs, to control and regulate the importation of vehicles, the government may decide to relax such restrictions.”

Ali said the establishment of the automated platform and bilateral connectivity meant that any truck that left the Republic of Benin, the information would already be remotely sent in English to Nigeria Customs Service system.


He also gave the assurance that illegal checkpoints mounted by Customs officers and other security agencies along the border corridors would disappear automatically.

“The roads also have to be fixed, because we cannot automate clearing of goods between the Customs and at the end, the stakeholders would be complaining,” he pointed out.

He said the new platform would be deployed by June 20.

https://punchng.com/fg-may-lift-land-border-vehicle-importation-ban-customs-boss/amp/?

A confused president
A confused government

.

Okay

A government of 'trial and error'

Better decision from federal government

hmmm

...now prices of some foodstuffs will drop like crazy.....a bag of bean has dropped more that 100% in one year and palmoil follows. my question is, is APC govt doing try and error with Nigeria economy?

Chai...1 step forward 2 step backward

Trial and error government

na them sabi, the way and manner dem wan run d Nigeria make dem dey run am ,,we youth don comot our hand from Nigeria matter,,,still dey gather money to travel out so help me God

Development good.

Good to hear.

If the decision will not take ages to implement.

Seen.

Atiku is coming

Useless people

Clueless government, they will only lift the ban so that Fulani Herdsmen can bring in more arms and ammunitions

Okay

And the trailers/cars will pass through which road? Lagos/badagry expressway abi

Good

Apc government has nothing good to offer.

More 4years imprisonment for Naija.

I Don tear race walai

Splashme:
A confused president
A confused government

You read at all?

lonelydora:
A government of 'trial and error'

There is no trial and error in government policies.

No government has ever had 100 percent policy success.

You can call it policy reversal.

It is common everywhere.

Good

I see rice there didn't I? But saying rice was banned for logistical reasons is lame. We all know it's political. I guess it good news for dealers doing imports FROM Benin. If they like, they should adjust rates and make the price unbearable, people still smuggle them vehicles. Taking off all officers from the road?! They had better have something that really works, not on paper!

Nde ara, one step forward n five steps back Govt.

Good

Why was it banned before instead of finding solution as this then?

Hahahahahaha......Importation of vehicles through land border was only banned in the media and print houses..... Rice, Accidented and write off cars still find their way into the country through same border on daily basis... Just come and stand at Daleko foot bridge very early in the morning, it will give you a clue on what's going on daily basis..... Just ask Ladipo guys how market!!!

Maybe a prominent Government Bankroller is on their neck to legalise nonsense...