Vehicle duties: Customs makes u-turn, says it won’t force car owners to pay
Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has backtracked on its decision to compel all car owners to pay duties on uncustomised cars, as a result of the widespread condemnation that trailed the decision.
NCS had early in the month directed all car owners in the country who could not ascertain whether their car duties had been paid to do same irrespective of how old their cars are.
The directive created dissatisfaction among the Senate, Civil Society Organisations and Vehicle Owners Association of Nigeria (VOAN) who threatened NCS with court action if the directive is not reversed.
But, the Customs on Monday said it was misconstrued, denying that its policy was targeted at car owners.
The acting public relations officer of the NCS, Mr. Joseph Atta, regretted that the policy had been misconstrued, misinterpreted and blown out of proportion.
He also said that the threat by VOAN to take legal action against the Customs Service if it did not reverse the policy was uncalled for.
Attah stressed that at no time was the policy targeted at car owners.
According to Attah, there was nothing special about the policy to generate any kind of unnecessary hysteria from some quarters, adding that members of the Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria (AMDON) were the ones who approached the NCS seeking to be allowed a period of grace to pay duties on uncustomised cars.
He stated that there was nothing new about the policy, except that motor dealers were asked to use the period to pay for unpaid duties on vehicles.
