By Paul Michael, Defence Editor, Abuja
The Nigeria Customs Service has said the agitation of stakeholders on the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Valuation would be addressed by the Service.
The assurance was given by the Zonal Coordinator of Zone ‘A’, Assistant Comptroller General, Modupe Aremu, in a meeting with Customs Stakeholders at the Customs Training College Ikeja Lagos, on Tuesday.
Recall that the Clearing Agents have been on strike to show their dissatisfaction with the new VIN Valuation, lamenting the hitches on the E-Valuation, which includes a hike in tariff on imported Vehicles.
Addressing the Stakeholders on Tuesday, ACG Modupe Aremu explained that a decentralized training will soon be organized for the Stakeholders to further sensitize and educate them more on the VIN Valuation, as the previous training being organized was not adequately attended by Stakeholders.
“We had three sections of training with them, we did not expect this kind of response but because of their complaint, we are still going to go back to our drawing board and modify some issues they raised,” she said
When asked by newsmen if the VIN Valuation will be shut down, the ACG said, it won’t be shut down but it will be modified.
“No, we are going to modify it, the modification will take care of all their issues, I can assure you. It was like a family meeting, we talked and rubbed minds to get a solution to the ongoing strike,” she said.
However, while addressing the Media, the Deputy President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr Segun Musa, said the strike action at the Port will continue until the raised issues are duly visited by Customs.
He said: “The Customs has given us a time frame of Friday to get back to us. So, we will wait till Friday to hear from them. Until then, the strike continues.
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“They (Customs) said tomorrow (Wednesday) is their management meeting and that they will get us feedback on what they decide by Friday. So, till then we continue the strike.
“If after Friday, their feedback does not meet our expectations, then we will continue the strike even after Friday.”
Another agent, Prince Taiye Oyeniyi, said the issue of VIN Valuation is a simple matter, saying that clearing agents have been on the issue of VIN valuation for over two to five years.
“Let me quickly correct one impression, all freight forwarders in this country are not against VIN valuation. What we are trying to say is that the normal thing for valuation should be done.
“What are we saying? For instance, what is VIN valuation? This is to make sure that your chassis numbers of the vehicle are captured to tell the government through the Customs how much to pay.
“But our argument remains that a 15-year-old vehicle, for instance, has a N2-million worth of value, cost, insurance and freight. Under the normal settings internationally, there is depreciation of vehicles on a yearly basis.
“What you sell is not what I sell. For instance, you cannot use the Customs value for vehicles or any consignments coming into the country.
“We are pleading with them (Customs) to go back to the management. Let them give us the period of 90 days to clear the backlog, of trapped vehicles,” Oyeniyi said.
