The Nigeria Customs Service has lifted the ban on
importation of rice, the agency’s spokesperson Wale Adeniyi has revealed.
According to him, the Comptroller-General of the body,
Colonel Hameed Ali (rtd) also okayed the decision to reintroduce the import
duty payment at land borders.
He said the restriction used to be applied only at land border
stations, adding 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.
“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 recognize 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,” he was quoted to have said.
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