More than a month has passed since President Bola Tinubu announced a zero per cent Customs Duty Rate and zero per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) on food imports, yet the policy remains stuck in red tape. The Federal Ministry of Finance and Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) have failed to implement the policy, leaving Nigerians to suffer from rising food prices and inflation.
The Comptroller General of the NCS, Bashir Adewale, has asked Nigerians to be patient, but this is unacceptable. The situation demands urgent action, not excuses. The government’s slow response is perceived as a deliberate attempt to maintain revenue streams, despite the suffering of citizens.
The editorial calls on the government to take immediate action to implement the policy, warning that the current situation may lead to further protests and unrest. The Minister of Finance and Customs C-G must justify their recent high rating by fast-tracking the zero duty policy to fight hunger. The government’s inaction is portraying a “body language that citizens can go to hell,” which is unacceptable.
Vanguard
