The Pacesetter Frontier Magazine

Tag: VREG

  • Vreg platform crash: more than 3,000 imported vehicles trapped

    Clearing agents and freight forwarders have decried over 3, 000 imported vehicles trapped at the Tin-Can Island Ports Complex, Apapa, due to the collapse of the National Vehicle Registration (VReg) platform created by the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMoF) for imported vehicles. The clearing agents lamented the daily rising costs incurred from demurrages arising from several imported vehicles trapped at the various terminals in the port as they unable to clear them over breakdown of Vreg platform. They said that VReg platform, which was created by the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMoF) for imported vehicles in 2021 became mandatory and first prerequisite for any vehicle that must be cleared from the nation’s port has been malfunctioning.

    Speaking with Daily Sun, the Public Relations Officer, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Tin-Can Island chapter, Onome Monije, said agents have not been able to access the Vreg’s platform in the last one week.

    He explained that exiting vehicles from the terminals have been a nightmare, adding that vehicles are attracting huge storage and demurrage charges from terminal operators and shipping companies.

    “Accessing Vreg platform since last week has been a nightmare as the portal had been down due to server breakdown. The Vreg is for all consignment with chassis/serial number and it is mandatory for us to register with vreg before we can proceed to Customs portal for duty accessment and payment because the Vreg has been integrated with that of Customs platform.

    “As a result of the inability to access the Vreg platform, we stay awake in the middle of the night searching for network and sometime it comes up 2am or 3am and whenever there is an amendment it is always difficult to amend mistakes.

    However, she pleaded with the FMoF to have a help desk where complaints can be made and resolved.

    “We are appealing to the Federal Ministry of Finance or their consultant to open the link icons for importers to pay directly. It is also important that they have office in Lagos and all the port for effective working relationship with clearing agents and importers.

  • FG introduces VREG to curb car theft, enhance national security and generate revenue

    The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Dr Zainab Ahmed, says the introduction of the National Vehicle Registry (VREG) policy of the Federal Government is to reduce vehicle theft, enhance national security and generate revenue for the government.

    Ahmed stated this Friday in Calabar at the South South zone sensitisation seminar on VREG policy.

     

    According to her, records showed that the country is the hub of stolen vehicles but that the policy would address anomalies associated with importation of vehicles, kidnapping and other crimes.

     

    “In line with the Strategic Revenue Growth Initiative, the ministry conceived and launched the National Vehicle Registry Automated Gateway Portal as a means to leveraging technology infrastructure to maximise revenue generation for Nigeria as well as to enhance national security such as curtailing kidnapping, utilization of vehicles in crime perpetration and terrorism.

     

     

    “The National Bureau of Statistics confirmed that between 2015 to 2020, Nigeria imported an average of 400,000 vehicles with an average of 28 percent increase annually. While an additional 40 percent are vehicles smuggled into the country annually, thus evading duty payment. 22 to 30 percent of these vehicles are stolen.”

     

    The minister, who was represented by the Head, Public/Private Partnership division of the ministry, Jumai Katagum, said, “It was further revealed that Nigeria was the hub of stolen vehicles as Vehicle Identification Number of vehicles in the country were usually unregistered, consequently, vehicles from the shores of Nigeria cannot be traced.”

     

    She said VREG is “national repository of vehicular information that seeks to provide a singular platform through which all relevant agencies shall reference vehicular data with a view of ascertaining ownership and value information, capturing vehicular exchanges and utilising the vehicle information number of all vehicles in Nigeria.”

     

     

     

    In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Aliyu Mohammed, said key agencies, parties and stakeholders involved in VREG implementation include Vehicle Inspection Officer, Federal Road Safety Corps, National Insurance Commission, Nigeria Police Force and the Office of National Security Adviser, Nigeria Customs Service, Central Bank of Nigeria amongst others.

     

     

     

     

     

    Source: www.punchng.com