The Ports and Terminal Multiservices Limited, PTML, command of the Nigeria Customs Service, has assured that it was ready to take advantage of the recent policy of Federal Government banning importation of vehicles through land borders and boost its revenue. PTML is the biggest vehicle importing terminal at the Tin Can Island port. Speaking in Lagos, Public Relations Officer of the PTML Customs Command, Mr. Steve Okonmah assured that the command was well positioned and ready to handle large vehicular imports as a result of the ban on vehicles through land borders. Okonmah said that this was the best time for government to take the bull by the horn. According to him, before now, Nigeria has been developing other neighbouring countries at the expense of its own. “I want to assure you that in implementing the government’s directive, we have the manpower and the equipment. The officers are alert and ready, we have enough space, even if you are bringing in a 10,000 vehicles, we are ready, we have about three different spaces for it and these are very big open spaces that can take as many vehicles as possible. “Any vehicle coming through the borders as from January 1, 2017 is a contraband and the customs have stopped receiving entries from importers. Before the end of the month, we will start seeing changes,” he said. “I want to believe that if we want to get it perfectly right, we should retain the tariff we are using now which is 35 percent, I have been hearing about an increase to 70 percent but if you ask my opinion, I will advise that we continue with what we are having now. “If we decide to increase tariff and we are telling people not to smuggle, it means that we are using one hand to bring and using the other hand to drive away. This would now make the smugglers more daring and dangerous, and they would be willing to attack anybody at sight,” he said
We’re ready to take advantage of auto ban- Customs
