ANLCA says unlike the VIN, the Non-Standard Chassis encourages corruption and make agents to circumvent the procedure
By Uzor Odigbo
The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has called on the management of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to immediately put an end to the Non-Standard Chassis value derivation in the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Valuation system because it encourages corruption and human contacts.
The association said that the continued retention of Non-Standard Chassis has defeated the purpose for which the online valuation system was designed.
Acting National President of ANLCA, Dr Kayode Farinto stated this during an interaction with the executives of the Association of Nigerian Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) in Lagos on Wednesday.
Dr Farinto averred that the purpose of the VIN valuation has been defeated as some agents and customs officers prefer the Non-Standard-chassis value because of loopholes it offers them to tamper with the system for personal gains.
He said: “We are happy that we are having VIN valuation because it is better for us but we are tired of this your Non-Standard chassis now because it is taking too long, still encouraging physical contacts, still encouraging corruption.
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“For example, I have a situation where I have 2017 vehicle, the OC Valuation in Tincan raised a value and I paid that value but before you jack, there will be Abuja alert, there will be valuation alert on the same cargo.
“But with this VIN valuation, there is sanity in the system, you cannot tell the importer a lie.
“I sent a letter to the CGC last week that we appreciate the fact that you have started VIN valuation but he should stop the Non-Standard Chassis because it is encouraging corruption, it is even making our boys now to circumvent the procedure
“The values that should go through standard chassis is not channeled to Non-Standard Chassis because they want short cut and we also have officers who are encouraging them that this is the way to do it that it is normal
“We have agents who now scratch their valuation, forge Controller’s signature because they have seen that they cannot tamper with the automated one.
“So, the Non-Standard Chassis by now ought to have stopped,” he said.
On the Federal Government gazette on number of years for vehicles allowed into the country, the ANLCA boss lamented how vehicles less than the acceptable 12 years are not allowed to be legitimately cleared at the port saying 2011 vehicles fall within the gazetted year but are not regarded as standard chassis.
“We have also put a letter to the CGC because the Federal Ministry of Finance gazette on vehicles is 12 years for vehicles and 15 years for trucks, it means that 2011 vehicle can still be cleared legitimately from our ports but your system is only accepting 2013 which means that you are shortchanging those bringing in 2011 vehicles.”
Speaking on modernisation of Customs operations, he said that modernisation has been in place since the time of late Controller General of Nigeria Customs Service (CGC), Dikko who he said keyed into global dictates of modernisation of customs operations by intiating the digitalisation of Nigeria Customs Service operations.
“We started modernisation in the era of Dikko trying to key into what is happening globally, whether anybody likes it or not, the 2020 WCO Safe Framework actually hammered on the need to have modernisation
“We have not even done what we are supposed to do. In 2020 we talked about authorized economy of operator which we have not graduated into.
“I remember when I went for the seminar four years ago, we are supposed to have gone beyond where we are now,” Dr Farinto stated.