Customs Chief Asserts That Suspending Duties on Imported Food Will Reduce Prices

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, says the suspension of duties and taxes on imported food and pharmaceutical items will reduce food prices.

He made this known on Tuesday during a briefing by security chiefs in Abuja on measures by the Federal Government to bring down food prices.

“The protest was premised on a number of things, one of them being to end hunger. We discovered that a significant amount of food consumed in Nigeria is imported. Importation takes some time. So one of the things the president has done to cushion the effect of the cost of importation is to suspend customs duties and taxes on imported food items for a period of time.

“We believe that when this is implemented, it will help to bring down prices of food items in the markets. Nigerian Customs is committed to the implementation of this particular fiscal policy as enunciated by the government,” he said.