The strike action embarked upon by Licenced customs agents and freight forwarders over alleged increase in duty payment on imported used vehicles under a new VIN Valuation regime will continue.
The Deputy President Of Nigeria Association Of Government Approved Freight Forwarders ( NAGAFF) Segun Musa
expressed this view Wednesday after a meeting held between the NigerIa Customs service (NCS) and licenced customs agents and freight forwarders in Apapa Lagos.
In an interview with journalists after a stakeholders’ meeting, presided over by NCS, Musa stated that, the meeting held is the very first, since the strike action commenced adding that,it a right step in the right direction.
“This is the first time we are meeting with custom
and the assurance is that everything we presented to them as an argument, they have greed with us and they will go back and adjust their system to meet our expectations and we are not expecting anything less than that from custom’
As at today status quo remains, until the outcome of customs’ deliberations.
” We are only waiting for custom to give us feedback on Friday , pending that, the status quo remains”
“As stated earlier, this is the first time we are meeting on this subject matter and like have said they have given us by Friday,we will hear from them and that’s after their management meeting”
Fielding questions from journalists,he expressed satisfaction over the meeting they had,” we are satisfied because we have started communicating now,
ab initio, it was just like no talk but as it stands now,we have started talking,we have expressed our own grievances, they have given us their own reasons
You will recalled that,at a stakeholders”meeting held Wednesday, Customs through the Zonal Coordinator of Zone A, Mrs Modupe Aremu who represented the Comptroller General of Customs, assured that the management will review the grievances of
licensed customs agents and freight forwarders on the newly introduced Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) valuation.
Licenced customs agents and freight forwarders for over two weeks,have been protesting alleged increase in duty payment on imported used vehicles under the new VIN Valuation regime.
As the new VIN valuation remains the cause of the unending strike action across Lagos ports, the expectation is that both parties will reach a compromise soon to allow for decongestion of the port and business normal activities.
