The Nigeria Customs Service on Tuesday said airlines operating across the country including Air Peace must pay all other appropriate charges aside from Customs duty and Value Added Tax for the importation of aircraft and spare parts.
It said this in reaction to the position of Air Peace airline recently as regards the payment of duty on aircraft spare parts and engines.
The Public Relations Officer, NCS, Joseph Attah, said in a statement that the attention of the service was drawn to a deliberate misinformation by the chairman of Air Peace regarding payments of Customs duty, VAT and other charges on imported commercial aircraft and spare parts.
He said the airline’s boss stated that the NCS was still collecting duty and VAT in defiance of the Federal Government’s executive order on commercial airplanes and spare parts.
The NCS said, “For the avoidance of doubt, we wish to draw his attention to Section 39 of the Second Schedule of the Finance Act as amended.
“It states that airlines registered in Nigeria and providing commercial air transport services are entitled to duty-free importation of their aircraft, engines, spare parts and components whether purchased or leased.”
He promised to continue to support ongoing efforts by various governments to bridge the development divide across Africa.
-Punch