Customs Re-impose Restriction Order On Importation of Rice

New restriction order has being placed on the importation of rice through land borders across the country by the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali (Retd). This order comes into effect immediately.

Col. Hameed Ali had last October authorized the turnaround of an earlier policy banning rice imports through the land borders, saying once the suitable duty and charges had been paid, importers were free to bring in the produce.

On Tuesday , The Public Relations Officer, NIS, Wale Adeniyi, Stated that the Service had noted that decaying revenue from rice imports through the land borders, did not match the volume of the produce landing in neighbouring ports.

According to him, reports from the border instructs, display an increase in the tempo of rice smuggling.

“The implementation of the restriction order got off to a smooth start, with a high level of compliance in October 2015. However, revenue started decreasing from January 2016, with importers blaming access to Forex as major hindrance,” Ali said.