Liquefied Petroleum Gas Marketers Demand Waiver Implementation 

The National President of Nigeria Association of LPG Marketers, Oladapo Olatunbosun has berated Nigeria Customs Service for its alleged reluctance to implement the presidential directive on zero import duties on gas items as well as imported Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), among others.

Olatunbosun who hailed President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for giving the directive about three weeks ago in order to crash the rising price of LPG however said that it appeared the agencies of government, particularly the Nigeria Customs Service that was central to implementing the very timely intervention of the government had allegedly refused to budge.

The national president lamented that even after the Minister of Finance who also doubles as the Coordinating Minister of Economy, Mr Wale Edun, had sent a circular to the concerned agencies to begin to do the needful, the Nigeria Customs was still not yet convinced to implement this presidential directive.

Olatunbosun disclosed this while speaking to newsmen.

According to him, many of their members whose imported items are in the ports have continued to incur demurrage which will also be transferred to the end users at the end of the day meaning that the consumers of LPG will pay more whereas the intention of dragging down the price would have been defeated.

Olatunbosun said, “It is unfortunate that some people and agencies, particularly Nigeria Customs Service have refused to implement the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on waiver of import duty on gas items as well as imported gas among others.

“These are beautiful measures taken by the President to expand the utilisation of gas and bring the price of gas down significantly.

“We receive this cheering news with a lot of excitement but our excitement is being dampened now with the reluctant of the appropriate agency to implement this directive, particularly the Nigeria Customs Service.

“Many of our members have their items in the ports now that is incurring demurrage on daily basis because the Customs will refuse to carry out the President’s directive. This is our major problem in this country, many times our leaders will mean very well for the people but those who are to implement the government order will rather chose to do what they like”.

He added, “The President has given out this directive and the Minister of Finance who is also the Coordinating Minister of Economy, Mr Wale Edun has sent out a circular demanding the implementation of this directive yet Customs will still want to do things their own way.

“The objective of this policy is to drive down the price, the President meant well. Because of some certain steps the President has taken the price of gas has come down, no where is a kilogram sold above N1000 yet the projection before was that we shall buy a kilogramme for N1500 before the year end. So, let President Tinubu call the Customs Service to order.”

Contacted for reaction, the National Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Customs Service, Abdullahi Maiwada however said that it was not a case of the agency refusing to carry out the President’s directive.

Maiwada said, “The Customs actually got the letter on this directive from the Federal Minister of Finance on December 12 and by December 15th it has sent out circulars to the state command to get this directive implemented.

“However, it is not an open ended thing, there is caveat to the letter which says that items to enjoy this waivers must be supported with an approval letter from the office of the Special Adviser to the President on Energy. Once this document is presented the Customs will get the job done”

Olusola Akintonde/Punch