The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, has stated that the inconsistency in duty charges by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is affecting businesses in the country , News About Nigeria reports.
He disclosed this in a statement via his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle on Wednesday.
The former Anambra governor said that the general business atmosphere in the country is being affected, and if not addressed, importers in the country may resort to using the ports of nearby countries.
According to him, this will leave the Nigerian ports underproductive and further deepen the economy into a worse situation as a result of loss of revenue.
Obi further noted that the inconsistent charges directly fuel the inflationary spike, which is the basis for increasing the cost of goods and living, adding that such arbitrary charges will lead to further business closures and attendant job losses.
“This is because at the time of the initiation of the business, calculations, including duties, have been made based on the prevailing exchange rate, and the prevailing market prices,” he explained.
He therefore called on the federal government to put an end to the inconsistent charges, as they pose a huge danger to the economy.
“I wish to urgently call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to end the inconsistency in duty charges as it is affecting the general business atmosphere in the country.
“The federal government should stop the arbitrary and ever-increasing customs duties as it is now negatively impacting businesses and the cost of items, and this portends a huge danger to the economy,” he wrote.
