Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has declared that it would not renege its stance on the form “M” policy which enables enterprises at the country’s Free Trade Zones (FTZs) to process duty payment on their exports.
NCS Comptroller for Ogun Area Command, Controller Hassan Gangua made the declaration while addressing heads of business enterprises operating at the Ogun Guangdong Free Trade Zone yesterday during his familiarisation visit to the zone.
Gangua, who allay the fear over non-availability of the form at the FTZs, charged all the heads of business enterprises operating within the Ogun Guangdong to approach their respective financial institutions for the form.
Emphasising that issue surrounding the accessibility of form “M” has to do with federal government’s policy however, assured that processing the form through their respective banks would not take more than 24 hours.
Representative of the Nigeria Export Processing Zonal Authority (NEPZA), Soji Falope had earlier drawn the attention of the Customs’ boss to the concerns of business operators over non-availability of form “M”, which is one of the documents that will enable the Chinese companies operating at the FTZ to process their duties payable to the covers of the federal government.
But responding on the issue, Gangua told the investors that form “M” is a policy statement of the federal government and that NCS is just implementing the policy.
“The issue of form “M” is a policy statement of the federal government and I cannot do anything otherwise just like the issue of rice and “tokunbo” cars importation that are banned through the land borders. The federal government said rice must come through the sea port: all vehicles must come through the sea port. We are just implementing the policies”.
“This is one of our duties apart from preventing smuggling. We also collect revenue and facilitate trades”.
“The issue of form “M” raised its head about two months ago and the management of Customs thought it wise and necessary that this area is China. So, if you have something to sell to Nigeria, you add value and you must pay duties; it’s just like importing goods.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Custom officer in charge of the Ogun Guangdong FTZ, Chief Superintendent of Custom (CSC), Tunji Giwa had listed some of the challenges militating against effective Customs’ revenue generation at the zone, which he said included non-availability of form “M”.
Giwa also listed other challenges to include: deplorable conditions of the road, fluctuation in gas supply for electricity generation, management and leadership problem as well as the current economic meltdown among others.
He explained that despite those challenges which caused serious setback for Customs in revenue generation, the zone generated over N375 million to the covers of the federal government in the year 2016, while over N11 million was also realised in January 2017 alone.
Giwa, who disclosed that 23 out of more than 30 enterprise that registered for business in the Guangdong FTZ are currently operational, also said that over 5, 000 workers are fully employed in the zone.
In his own opening remark, the General Manager, China Africa, the Chinese business conglomerate who are operating business in the FTZ, Hanson Huang disclosed that Ogun Guangdong has provided a significant platform for cooperation and trade between Nigeria and China.
Huang however, assured that the management of the zone will ensure the infrastructural development of the area to create conducive environment for investors as well as improved welfare of workers.
