From Molly Kilete, Abuja
Two months after the Federal Government directed that the Nigeria Customs Services (NCS) should give a 150-day duty-free window to allow the importation of maize, husked brown rice and wheat, the policy implementation is yet to commence.
The Presidential Accelerated and Stabilisation Advancement Plan, had in July, recommended the initiative as part of measures to combat rising food insecurity and inflation across the country.
During the #EndBad Governance protest last month, the Federal Government had announced the guidelines for the suspension of Customs duty and taxes on imported food items were to commence one week after.
However, reports showed that imported foods listed during the announcement are yet to be in the market.
Speaking on why the directive was yet to be implemented, NCS spokesman, Abdullahi Maiwada, said the list of those who would benefit from tax exemptions was yet to come from the Ministry of Finance.
Maiwada, at a joint press briefing of security agencies organised by the Strategic Communications Inter-agency Policy Committee Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), said: “You made mention of the policy that was announced by Mr. President and we have issued a statement on the guidelines on how to benefit from that policy. Well, I would like to discuss in such a way that the common man would understand how these things work.
“People think that me and you can just go and import rice. No, that is not what the policy is all about. We have policy issues that have a long-term effect. We have the medium-term and we have the short-term effects.
“So, while formulating policies that are related that have a short-term effect, we have to do it in such a way that it will not have adverse effects on long-term policy issues. Our responsibilities as an agency of government, Nigeria Customs Service, is to implement government policies.
“That’s why the statement we issued is based on the guideline issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance. They have issued a guideline on how to achieve it. What are the conditions, and what are the requirements for you to benefit from that zero import duty?
“We have three lines, six lines of tariff line with the HS code, harmonised system code, with initially a duty of 35 percent duty and leave you some of the items and they have all been waived.
“However, the policy stated clearly that you must be a miller, you must be a taxpayer, you must have been into operations for a certain number of years and there will be a quota that will be issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance.
“So, the list of those who will benefit from those exemptions will come from the Ministry of Finance and our role as an agency of government is to implement the directives of the government. So we are policy implementers, not formulators.
“So, by the time we get those lists, within the twinkle of an eye, we are going to implement those directives from the Federal Ministry of Finance.”
