The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), has ordered
the immediate removal of rice from import restriction list and the
re-introduction of import duty payment at land borders.
The
Public Relations Officer of customs, Mr Wale Adeniyi, made this known in
an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in
Abuja.
He said the restriction was only applied at land border
stations before now, adding that the customs boss had lifted restriction
on rice at border stations.
Adeniyi said that all rice imports
through land borders by rice traders would attract the prevailing import
duty of 10 per cent with 60 per cent levy.
He added that rice
millers (preferential levy) with valid quota allocation would also
attract duty rate of 10 per cent with 20 per cent levy on rice
importation.
“Over the years importation has been restricted to
the seaports because border authorities have found it difficult to
effectively monitor and control importation of rice.
“When the
decision to ban it (rice) was taken it was not an effective measure
because smuggling of the product thrives with people using different
means of conveyance including small trucks, bicycles and even animals –
putting them on donkeys and some actually carry it on their heads.
“These
new measures will be for customs to reognise their anti-smuggling
operations in the border areas and ensure that all those importers
through the borders bring their rice through approved routes and pay
their extant duty. `