Suspension of duties, taxes on imported food will reduce prices — Customs CG
Bashir Adeniyi, Comptroller-General of Customs, has expressed hope that suspending duties and taxes on imported food goods for a period of time will help to cut food prices.
Adeniyi stated his commitment to implementing the government’s policy.
He addressed the security heads’ meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.
Adeniyi stated, “The demonstration was based on a number of goals, one of which was to alleviate hunger. We discovered that Nigeria imports a considerable portion of its food. Importation takes time. So, one of the things the president has done to mitigate the effects of importation costs is to temporarily defer customs duties and taxes on imported food.
We believe that doing this will assist to cut food prices in the market. The government has committed Nigerian Customs to carrying out this particular fiscal policy.
“What does this type of intervention mean for local markets? We seek to meet the needs of all parties concerned. Nigerian farmers also discuss possible duty waiver and concession recipients.
He emphasised the significance of considering the interests of all stakeholders before executing the strategy.
The head of customs asked Nigerians to be patient, noting that tariffs and taxes would not apply to some imported commodities already in the nation.
Adeniyi added, “There is a challenge in establishing a balance between the long-term interests of Nigerian farmers, Nigerian players involved in the manufacturing of these commodities, and the short-term interests of food inflation.
The Ministry of Finance is now working on the guidelines, and I can assure you that they will be completed within the next week, at which point Nigerian Customs will begin applying these particular fiscal policies.
As a result, I ask Nigerians to be patient, confident that customs charges and taxes will not apply to any of the things that have already arrived on our borders.
The Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, warned that, while tensions had subsided in certain states following the presidential broadcast, subversive campaigns had surfaced in Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, and Bauchi.
He stated, “We are all aware that in the last 5-6 days, our country has been shaken by a wave of violent protests in certain states. Following Mr. President’s statement on Sunday, tensions subsided, and peaceful demonstrators responded to the invitation for a brief conversation.
“But we still have groups of people in a few states, Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, and Bauchi states, who started a subversive campaign waving flags of other countries and openly calling for a military takeover of our country.”
Egbetokun cautioned youths against accepting foreign flags from destabilisation agents.
He went on: “This is not a protest, but rather a treasonable felony offence.” The police have captured numerous people and will deal them appropriately. I’d want to take this occasion to caution our youth against adopting foreign flags from destabilisation agents.
“Seeing them protesting with flags of other countries is extremely implicating.” So far, the issue is under control, and we expect that following this news conference, those misguided elements and their backers will refrain from committing treason.”