By CHARLES IWUOHA

The South East Amalgamated Markets Traders Association (SEAMATA) has strongly criticised and rejected the recent astronomical and indiscriminate increment in the import duty on cargoes charged by Nigerian Customs.

The rejection is contained in a statement jointly signed by SEAMATA’s President General, Chief Gozie Akudolu, and its Secretary General, Mr Alex Okwudiri, in Enugu on Monday.

SEAMATA is the umbrella union of traders in all the markets in the South-East geo-political Zone and traders of South-East extraction doing business across the states in the Federation and in Diaspora.

The group said that the Nigerian Customs has introduced a method of working out import duty payment on goods and set out a particular minimum amount payable for each 40ft container which has jettisoned invoice value of consignments.

The statement noted that items with the least percentage tariff of five per cent are not even spared.

According to SEAMATA, current import duties are no longer calculated based on invoice value of consignments.

The statement reads in part: “Between 2020 and now, the amount charged on cargoes as import duties have risen in geometric proportion from N750,000 to N2 million, again to N3 million and presently, toN3.3million for 40ft containers; while 20ft containers jumped to N1.8 million.

“The Nigerian Customs on their own, work out payable import duty now based on “estimated” invoice value of consignment as against the actual invoice value of goods from the country of origin.

“This development is not only bringing untold hardships to importers but is also compounding the pains of the citizens as it dovetailed to astronomical increase in prices of imported goods as the Nigerian Customs estimated invoice value is always far above the actual cost of the imports.

“The indiscriminate estimate of value of goods by Nigerian Customs is adverselyaffecting the prices of goods in the markets today both imported and locally produced as it triggered a chain reaction.

“Even agricultural products are not spared in the chain effect of the price increase.

“In the general meeting held in Onitsha on Wednesday, Nov. 24, 2021, the traders resolved to very strongly condemn and reject the increment.

“We are appealing to the Honourable Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, to prevail on the Nigerian Customs to, as a matter of urgency, to suspend the exercise.

“This is to save the Nigerian citizens from further economic hardships as further economic pains that follow such situations could lead to social unrest which our nation doesn't need now.”