Again, Nigeria bans rice importation
Nigeria Customs Service on Tuesday announced the re-
introduction of ban on importation of rice through land
borders across the country.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali, said the
presidency had given approval for the reversal of an earlier
policy in October 2015 which allowed rice imports through
land borders, once appropriate duty and charges were paid.
Mr. Ali, who made the announcement at a review meeting
with Comptrollers of Border Commands and Federal
Operation Units in Abuja, said the Service had observed that
dwindling revenue from rice imports through the land
borders hardly matched the volume of rice arriving in
neighbouring ports.
He said reports from border commands indicated an upsurge
in rice smuggling, adding that implementation of the
restriction order had already taken off smoothly since
October 2015, with a high level of compliance.
The Comptroller noted, however, that revenue began to
dwindle from January 2016, with importers blaming access
to foreign exchange their as major impediments.During the five-month period October 2015 and March 17,
2016 when the importation was allowed, he said a total of
24.992 metric tonnes of rice valued at N2.34 billion were
imported through the land borders.
The total revenue generated for the period stood at about
N1.69 billion, considered lower than the projected revenue
to be generated with the removal of import restrictions.
He said an upsurge in the number of the seizures has been
reported across the land borders since January 2016, with
about 9,238 bags of rice seized within the first two months
of the year, with about N64.67 million as duty paid value
received by the Customs anti-smuggling patrol teams of
Federal operations and Border commands.
Although the Comptroller-General of Customs said his
officials cannot be totally exonerated from the abuses
associated with the implementation of the order on rice, he
disclosed that his office has been inundated with reports of
collusion between them and some rice importers.
Consequently, he directed full investigation into the reports,
assuring that all indicted personnel would be sanctioned.
“I have directed a zero-tolerance to rice imports through the
land borders irrespective of volume with immediate effect.
Importers who have already initiated import processes will
have a grace period ending Friday March 25, 2016 to clear
their consignments,” the Comptroller-General declared.
introduction of ban on importation of rice through land
borders across the country.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali, said the
presidency had given approval for the reversal of an earlier
policy in October 2015 which allowed rice imports through
land borders, once appropriate duty and charges were paid.
Mr. Ali, who made the announcement at a review meeting
with Comptrollers of Border Commands and Federal
Operation Units in Abuja, said the Service had observed that
dwindling revenue from rice imports through the land
borders hardly matched the volume of rice arriving in
neighbouring ports.
He said reports from border commands indicated an upsurge
in rice smuggling, adding that implementation of the
restriction order had already taken off smoothly since
October 2015, with a high level of compliance.
The Comptroller noted, however, that revenue began to
dwindle from January 2016, with importers blaming access
to foreign exchange their as major impediments.During the five-month period October 2015 and March 17,
2016 when the importation was allowed, he said a total of
24.992 metric tonnes of rice valued at N2.34 billion were
imported through the land borders.
The total revenue generated for the period stood at about
N1.69 billion, considered lower than the projected revenue
to be generated with the removal of import restrictions.
He said an upsurge in the number of the seizures has been
reported across the land borders since January 2016, with
about 9,238 bags of rice seized within the first two months
of the year, with about N64.67 million as duty paid value
received by the Customs anti-smuggling patrol teams of
Federal operations and Border commands.
Although the Comptroller-General of Customs said his
officials cannot be totally exonerated from the abuses
associated with the implementation of the order on rice, he
disclosed that his office has been inundated with reports of
collusion between them and some rice importers.
Consequently, he directed full investigation into the reports,
assuring that all indicted personnel would be sanctioned.
“I have directed a zero-tolerance to rice imports through the
land borders irrespective of volume with immediate effect.
Importers who have already initiated import processes will
have a grace period ending Friday March 25, 2016 to clear
their consignments,” the Comptroller-General declared.
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