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Rising Hardship: Nigerian Government Delays Tariff Waiver On Essential Food Items

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Rising Hardship: Nigerian Government Delays Tariff Waiver On Essential Food Items....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government has been slow in implementing the zero import tariff waiver on selected food items, months after the policy was announced, DAILY POST reports……CONTINUE READING 

 

 

 

The waiver, meant to cover items such as husked brown rice, grains, sorghum, millet, maize, wheat, and beans, is set to last for 150 days, from July 15 to December 31, 2024. Initially announced by the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, in June 2024, the policy was intended as part of the administration’s fiscal measures to reduce food prices.

In July 2024, Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi reiterated the government’s commitment to implementing the tariff waiver. The policy was expected to take effect on August 14, 2024, following detailed guidelines released by Customs, which confirmed the regulation approved by President Tinubu.

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) stated, “This measure aims to mitigate the high cost of food items in the Nigerian market by making essential commodities more affordable for citizens.” However, months later, Nigerians continue to face rising food prices, with the tariff waiver yet to be fully implemented.

Despite the National Bureau of Statistics reporting a slight easing of food inflation to 39.53% in July and 37.52% in August, food prices remain high. A survey by DAILY POST revealed that a 50-kilogram bag of rice costs between N87,000 and N106,000, while beans are sold for N65,000 to N100,000, making basic food items increasingly inaccessible.

Speaking with DAILY POST, Muda Yusuf, Executive Director of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, expressed concern about the government’s slow progress in rolling out the policy. He noted a significant lag between the policy announcement and the preparation of guidelines, emphasizing that the waiver has not been fully activated, which is why its effects are yet to be felt.

Yusuf urged the government to accelerate the implementation process, stating, “The customs must implement the policy. The customs need to be advised by the Ministry of Finance, and until that is done, implementation cannot start.”

Similarly, Olufemi Kayode, a member of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), criticized Customs for not providing clear guidelines for the waiver’s implementation. He suggested that internal challenges or sabotage might be hampering progress.

“There are no clear-cut directives for its implementation. Customs may be having internal challenges with properly classifying or coding the waiver in its system,” Kayode noted.

However, NCS spokesperson Abdullahi Maiwada refuted allegations of sabotage, stating that Customs had already outlined the procedures for accessing the waiver. He assured the public that the NCS is committed to implementing all government policies aimed at alleviating economic hardship.

“We are a responsible government agency, and we are here to carry out all policies formulated by the government,” Maiwada said, dismissing claims of internal resistance.

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