By Ifeanyi Edwin Nwabugu
The Comptroller General of Customs Wale Adeniyi has announced that plans have been concluded to introduce indigenous Nigeria local languages in addition to English language into the B’ODOGWU trade platform in a bid to enhance accessibility and seamless navigation by the Nigerians and especially the stakeholders.
Adeniyi disclosed this in an interactive forum with major stakeholders during a town hall meeting in Lagos on Monday. Recall that the B’ODOGWU, a digital platforms was designed by the Nigeria Customs Service to factor Nigeria work environment so as to improve its efficiency and service delivery. According to the Comptroller General, when fully installed, stakeholders can easily interact in preferred language and that will make it user friendly. The Comptroller General further announced plans to reintroduce the suspended 4% Free On Board (FOB) levy on imports. It will be recalled that the Nigeria Customs Service suspended the implementation of the 4% FOB on imports following public outcry by Nigerians and stakeholders that will further impoverish the Nigerians, increase cost of living and have negative impact on the ease of doing business in the country .But
during the interactive meeting, the Comptroller General insisted that the NCS has no alternative than to reintroduce the FOB levy in order to fund its technology and modernization program to enhance its efficiency arguing that technology is expensive anywhere in the world. He further assured the stakeholders that the reintroduction of 4% levy is a win win situation for all, since it will lead to the removal of the existing 1% comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme and 7% Customs collection levy charge.