By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has revealed easy ways to confirm payment of duty on vehicles as it plans to begin clampdown on defaulters.
Addressing a media stakeholders meeting in Abuja on Tuesday, the Comptroller-General of the agency, Mr Hameed Ali, said this move was to avoid causing hardship to Nigerians in regards to duty payment on old vehicles and verification.
Mr Ali said at the meeting that, “For effective and easy customs duty clearance verification, you can dial or send SMS to this number, 094621597, with your vehicle C-number, the year you paid the duty and the port or location where the vehicle came through into the country.”
He said immediately these details are provided, “just in five minutes, you will get a response whether your vehicle duty clearance is genuine or not.”
The Customs boss explained that the last number, which is 7 in the digits 094621597, can be either changed to 8 or 9 to get response faster with different customs personnel on duty at every point in time.
He said that his agency has given private vehicle owners, who after verification, might find out that their vehicles had no genuine duty clearance, the opportunity to advantage of the 60 percent rebate.
Mr Ali lamented that Nigerians misunderstood customs’ intention regarding duty payment on old vehicles, explaining that the excise was actually meant for motor dealers.
Adedapo Adesanya