By Esseh Ikora
One year after Federal Government announced the ban on importation of fairly used vehicles (Tokunbo) through its borders; Nigerians are now counting their losses as most of them complain that it has added to their economic hardship already experienced in the country.
A cross section of Nigerians who spoke with Newsdiaryonline, lamented that the directive by the Federal Government has frustrated their businesses.
Mostly affected are the low income earners who decried the economic trauma they are experiencing adding that the current situation has greatly affected their social life as they now travel long distances with rickety vehicles.
“Iam now forced to trek to my work. I used to have a car but it is no longer serviceable. I can’t afford to change it because imported fairly used cars are now very expensive. When we used buy vehicles directly from nearby Country it was easy and affordable but today with N600,000 you can only buy scrap vehicles in the country.
“As an ordinary Nigerians you can’t walk into the port to buy a car. You will be so frustrated that you begin to imagine if the port is in Nigeria”, Mr. Solomon Akpan, a civil servant lamented
Newsdiaryonline recall that the Federal Government had, in December 2016, placed a ban on the importation of fairly used vehicles through the country’s land borders, an executive directive which took effect from 1st January, 2017.
Vehicles sale stands, visited by Our correspondent, which used to have between eighty to a hundred vehicles on display, were either virtually empty or had second hand Nigeria used vehicles on display.
Vehicle stands which had a few fairly used imported vehicles are very expensive. Toyota Camry which used to cost between N900,000 and N1.2 million before the ban now cost double the price.
Most residents condemned the ban describing the policy as anti-people oriented, deliberately initiated to make life unbearable for the common man on the street.
When the ban was announced by the Federal Government the Senate had rejected the ban describing it as anti-people policy that was capable of further impoverishing Nigerians.
The senators were said to have called the Customs authority to suspend further action on the federal government’s directive but the government insisted on the ban.
Dr. Dan Umoh, Managing Director, Nasir Motors, Ikot Ekpene Road, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, said, President Buhari is the kind of person Nigerians need as a President to enforce the needed change but said the ban on the importation of fairly used vehicles is an error.
According to him, “the directive only added to our hardship nobody is buying, nobody is selling. We now buy second hand from owners who cannot cope with the maintenance. The vehicles you see in all the stands are refurbished. low income earners who budgeted to buy fairly used cars are now trekking to their businesses or offices”.
Other Civil servants in the State also complained that with their meager salary, it would be difficult for them to buy directly from Europe and other countries.
They also alleged that contacting clearing agents have always left them in unimaginable frustration due to exploitation, insincerity and disappointments.
The business community is not left out in the tale of woes as most traders complained that they spend days on any business trip within the country as a result of frequent breakdown of vehicles which are either not road worthy or over aged.
Speaking separately, the Chairman and General Secretary of Akwa Ibom Motor Dealers Association (AKMDA) Pastor Godwin Eduok and Robert Bob, said the government policy has not only added to the excruciating hardship already experienced by Nigerians, but created unfavorable business climate for investment.
According to Edouk, “we have just concluded our end of year meeting. We have examined our performances and discovered that we are now worse than when we started this business year ago.
“Our business is badly affected especially with the recession. 90 percent of the vehicles in our stands now are Nigerian used.
“The government should have engaged us as stakeholder in car dealers business before considering the option of outright ban on land borders importation. We should have proffer solution on the alleged illegal importation of vehicles to the country across the land borders, he said .
“Clearing vehicles at Nigerian port which is the federal government policy is already hijacked by the cabals in the ports. It is the most difficult aspect of the business.
“You must be connected to somebody who has executive power to be able to enter the port and inspect the vehicle you intend to pay for. You must depend on one or two middle men who are very close to government to be able to do any business in Nigerian port”, Robert Bob said
