Customs re-imposes restriction on rice importation through land borders

Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has re-introduced the restriction order on importation of rice through land borders, which was reversed in October 2015, by the approval of Hameed Ali, comptroller-general of Customs.

According to a statement signed by Wale Adeniyi, public relations officer, NCS, noted that dwindling revenue from rice imports through the land borders do not match the volume of rice that come into the ports of neighbouring countries, which rather indicated an upsurge in the tempo of rice smuggling into the country.

Adeniyi said the implementation of the restriction order got off to a smooth start, with a high level of compliance in October 2015, and it later resulted dwindling of revenue from January 2016, as importers blame access to forex as major impediments to import.

“During the five-month period when the importation was allowed through the land border that was from October 2015 to March 17 2016, a total of 24.992 metric tons of rice valued at N2.3 billion was imported through the land borders.

“Also, a total revenue of N1.7 billion was generated from the imports, which was considerably lower than the revenue projected to be generated with the removal of import restrictions,” Adeniyi said in the statement.

He further stated that there had been an upsurge in the number of seizures reported across the land borders since January 2016, saying,  “In the first two months of the 2016, a total of 9,238 bags were seized, with duty paid value of N65 million, was made by the Customs anti-smuggling patrol teams of the Federal Operations and Border Commands.”

He said comptroller-general of Customs noted that his officers and men couldn’t be totally exonerated from the abuse associated with the implementation of the order on rice, as his office had been inundated with reports of collusion between Customs’ men and rice importers. “As a result, he directed investigation into the reports, insisting that indicted personnel will be sanctioned.”

While directing a zero-tolerance to rice imports through the land borders, irrespective of volume with immediate effect, he stated that importers who have already initiated import processes would have a grace period ending Friday, March 25, 2016 to clear their consignments.