The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has said the controversies being generated over the newly introduced Vehicle Identity Number (VIN) valuation; an innovation designed to harmonise and make the processes of importing and clearing used vehicles at the ports transparent, were unnecessary.
The NCS Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller Timi Bomodi, said arrangements were in top gear to further engage respective stakeholders following a protest two Mondays ago by clearing agents which crippled activities at the Tin Can Island Port and PTML Terminal.
According to him, the Service discountenanced agitations against what it considers as a process intended to ensure ‘automation, simplification, harmonisation or even transparency in the system’, saying that most of the individuals protesting the introduction of VIN-Valuation do not care about ease of doing business.
Bomodi said the Service had following complaints to management by the stakeholders about the inconsistencies in the valuation of used vehicles, decided to introduce VIN valuation protocol which is an automated system meant “to remove human interference from the generation of value for cars just so that we can have consistent value, harmonize system that is the same across board throughout the country.
“The Customs has not done anything different from what it has always done. The only thing is that this protocol is an automated one that is driven by machine. We believe it is also in the best interest of VIN facilitation,” he said, noting that the only thing new in the process is the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to pull together trade data representing a range of values consistent for each car make and model using the VIN.
Aside from the exorbitant valuation, the leaderships of registered freight forwarding associations operating at the PTML Terminal and Tin Can Island port in Lagos, have also alleged that the Service did not take them into consideration before introducing the VIN Valuation.
“That is not correct because as early as January, efforts were made by management to talk with stakeholders about the VIN valuation and many of them accepted by saying the new automated will revolutionalise the system with regard to the import and clearance of used vehicles. We are, therefore, quite surprised by the kind of reactions by persons making these complaints,” he said while speaking on Channels Television.
Nonetheless, he assured that the Customs is willing to re-engage all stakeholders on the issue and clarifies wherever there may seem to be hitches. “We have had a series of meetings with the stakeholders before we introduced this protocol and we listened to their complaints.”
The protests over the anomalies in the VIN valuation system policy introduced by the NCS for imported vehicles began after the expiration of the 72-hour strike notice issued by all registered freight forwarding associations operating at the Lagos ports.
