Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hammed Ali (retd.) on Tuesday said that he had the backing of President Muhammadu Buhari on the proposed policy on payment of vehicle duty.
Ali, who spoke with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, businessmen in the past had created a situation where they benefited from waivers and concessions.
He said, “The truth is that when I came in, one of the difficult tasks is how to deal with, ‘big men.’ Big time businessmen in the past have created a situation that they were the beneficiaries of waivers and concessions. Huge amount of money is lost in this country through waivers and concessions.
“If John decides to import things as a trader, he is meant to pay duty, why should Ali, because he is a big businessman and has a status in the society be given waiver when the law is clear about it?”
“The President agrees with us and the political will is behind us. As of today, apart from the statutory waivers, which the law allows, the President has not approved one single waiver.”
