Clearing agents operating at the nation’s seaports have called on the president-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, to increase the age limit of imported used vehicles also known as tokunbo to 15 years from date of manufacture.
The agents, under the aegis of Association of Nigerian Licenced Customs Agents (ANLCA), in a congratulatory message to Tinubu on his electoral victory on Wednesday, said the new administration when sworn in should as well ensure the reduction of 15 per cent levy on used vehicles.
The congratulatory message by the association’s acting president, Dr Kayode Farinto, who is also the Lagos State coordinator of the Progressive Solidarity for Asiwaju (PSA), a support group of Marítime stakeholders and allied industries in the sub-sector of the Nigeria’s economy, said the group is proud of the All Progressive Congress (APC), successes at the elections and urged the President-elect to work for a better NIgeria.
He said: “on the issue of age limits on used vehicles- tokunbo vehicles- we want the government to increase the importation age limits to about 15 years from the date of manufacture and the reduction of 15% levy on used vehicles and all that we have proposed to the President-elect should be address.”
The association also call on Tinubu, to appoint a serving Customs Officers as Comptroller general of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
He stated that the current CG, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), has stagnated the growth of cargo clearance and Customs operations in the country.
Farinto called on the president-elect to beam his searchlight on the maritme Industry which is an alternative source of revenue for the government.
He stated that the sector is now the revenue basket of Nigeria aside oil, saying for his government to successfully reap the revenue accruing in the sector, Marítime professionals should be part of the think tank either as agency heads or as board members.
To him, “frankly, inline with international best practices, the new Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service ( NCS) must as a matter of necessity be appointed from and among the proper officers and not this aberration that has stagnated the growth of cargo clearance and Nigeria Customs operations in our nation.
“I want the government of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to beam it’s searchlight on the maritme Industry, which is now the revenue basket of Nigeria ,aside from oil. For his government to successfully reap the revenue accruing in the sector, Maritme professionals should be part of the think tank in this government, either as agency heads or as board members.”
Farinto said the Nigeria Maritme industry is ready to work with the Government of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the sector to advance its course.
“We want the Federal Ministry of Transportation to be balkanised, thereby creating Federal Ministry of Maritime Affairs , where agencies like National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) and others will be part of to harness the maritime industry fully and how we can fully explore the Nigeria’s Blue Economy project for increase revenue earnings for the federal government, create employment for our teeming youths and add value to the nation’s economy.
“The hard earned victory of Bola Tinubu and his running mate Kashim Shettima at the 2023 Presidential election is a testimony of their acceptance and trust by all Nigerians to lead our country to the promised land.
“We at ANLCA/ PSA are particularly grateful for this victory as we have all worked hard to achieve it. I want to assure all Marítime stakeholders that the Tinubu /Shettima Presidency will bring a new lease of life to the Maritme Industry as the president-elect have promised to carry the sector along during our engagement with him.
“I want to urge all maritme stakeholders to support the APC Government of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kashim Shettima so that we can all benefit as professionals and stakeholders from this government in order to move the industry forward.”
“We appeal to him to have Special Advisers on Maritme and Customs Affairs. This will help his government to have professional and technical advice that will grow the industry and generate more revenue , especially with the full harness of the Blue Economy, which will create millions of employment opportunities for our teeming youths,” he pointed out.
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