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Tag: customs

  • Buhari accepts Abdullahi’s resignation from Customs

    Buhari accepts Abdullahi’s resignation from Customs

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday accepted the resignation of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi.

    Abdullahi is billed to proceed on his voluntary retirement from Tuesday, August 18.

    The Customs boss had earlier written a letter dated August 3 to the President notifying him of his desire to proceed on voluntary retirement from Tuesday.

    President Buhari’s approval of Abdullahi’s request was dated August 14 and personally signed by the President.

    In the letter, the President thanked the NCS boss for his services to the county in the last six years.

    The President’s letter, titled “Voluntary retirement from the Nigeria Customs Service” read: “Dear, Alhaji D.I. Abdullahi. I write to acknowledge the receipt of your letter Ref. No. NCS/ADM/HQ/P. 35802 of 3rd August, 2015 conveying your decision to voluntarily retire from the Nigeria Customs Service with effect from Tuesday, 18th August, 2015.

    “I note with appreciation your services to this nation, especially as the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service in the last six (6) years.

    “Accordingly, I hereby approve your voluntary retirement from the Nigeria Customs Service with effect from 18th August 2015.

    “I wish you the very best in your future endeavours.

    “Yours sincerely, Muhammadu Buhari.”

    The Nigeria Customs boss had in his letter to the President thanked him for the confidence and trust reposed on him since he (Buhari) was inaugurated on May 29.

    Stressing that he would be six years in office as the Comptroller-General of the NCS by August 18, he recalled that on assumption of office, he articulated six-point agenda which he vigorously pursued.

  • Customs seizes over N45b smuggled poultry products

    Customs seizes over N45b smuggled poultry products

    The Nigeria Customs ‘Operation Hawk Descend’ has seized over N45 billion poultry products smuggled into the country since the launch of the operation in July, spokesman for the organisation, Mr. Wale Adeniyi,  has said.

    Hawk Descend is the Federal Operations Units of the service.

    Adeniyi said that the duty paid value was the highest recorded since the launch of the operation.

    According to the breakdown of the seizures   Ogun Command led with 6, 565 cartons and duty paid value is N2, 937,441.00, while Federal Operation Unit (FOU) A (Lagos) quantity of seizure is 1,395 cartons and duty paid value is N7, 533,000.00.

    It is followed by FOU B (Kaduna) with the seizure of 6,000 cartons and duty paid value of N35,000,000 .

    Adeniyi quoted the Customs Comptroller-General, Alhaji  Dikko Abdullahi as saying  that smugglers of poultry products were exploring routes in the Northern and Eastern parts of the country.

    The Customs spokesman said that the special operation had made life difficult for smugglers in the South-Western flank.

    Abdullahi lauded the FOU in Lagos and Kaduna for their huge seizures, adding that the FOU in the two states had put other Commands on alert.

    “Last week, FOU Operatives in Kaduna apprehended two trucks conveying smuggled poultry products at Gidan Wali, along Babana border in Niger State,” he added.

    Adeniyi said that the success of operation Hawk Descend had attracted the commendation from the Poultry Association of Nigeria.

    He said the President of the Poultry Association of Nigeria, Mr. Onallo Akpa, had expressed appreciation for the outstanding performance in containment of smuggled poultry products.

    He added that farmers also commended FOU performance through various acts of onslaught, arrests and confiscation of smuggled poultry products into the country.

     

     

  • Customs promise Niger Republic easy cargo transit across borders

    Customs promise Niger Republic easy cargo transit across borders

    The Comptroller General of Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Mr Abdullahi Dikko, has promised the Republic of Niger easy transit of cargoes to facilitate trade between Nigeria and Niger.

    Dikko, represented by Mr Kohn Atte, the Deputy Comptroller-General (Finance Administration and Technical Services),  made the promise when a delegation of the Nigerian Shippers Council and Nigeria-Niger Joint Commission paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja yesterday.

    He said the main responsibility of Customs was to facilitate trade and ensure that goods moved easily across borders.

    Dikko said most challenges faced by Niger in terms of delay of movement of cargo and issues at the various border posts would be resolved.

    ” The customs have tried to see that we ease off the system so that goods can move faster. With the help of Shippers Council the system has been decentralised and capacity built.

    “We have officers that are well trained to lead cargoes to the next environment; we have also noted the two-week delay or more at the borders.

    “In conjunction with Shippers Council, we will look into the matters and make sure that those complaints are eliminated,” he said.

    According to him, Customs have mandate to move cargo quickly out of the ports within 48 hours.

    He said the arrangement had given a good image for the service and promised that improvements would be made on the operations.

    The Comptroller-General said NCS would collaborate with Shippers Council and the ministries of transport of both countries as well as Niger Republic Customs to ensure smooth border operations.

    Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Transport of Niger, Mr Alguima Abdoulaye, expressed appreciation to NCS for the audience given to them.

    He said he believed the two countries were one, but noted that with difficulties Nigeriens faced in moving goods through Nigerian borders, they preferred to go to more distant countries to ferry cargo.

    Abdoulaye acknowledged improvements in services at Nigeria’s borders with Niger, but expressed the hope that areas of conflict between both countries Customs Services would be resolved to ease cargo movement.

  • Fake phones, laptops: Dealers blame SON, Customs, others

    Fake phones, laptops: Dealers blame SON, Customs, others

    Information technology dealers at Computer Village, Ikeja have decried the inadequacies of regulatory government agencies and greed of dubious importers making sub-standard IT products to thrive in the market.

    According to the Secretary General of Computer and Allied Product Dealers Association of Nigeria, CAPDAN, Mr. John Oboro, the government is the only agency that has the instrument of enforcement as the association can do just  a little to curb the menace.

    He said: ‘’The man who imported counterfeit smartphones and laptops want to make profit. But it is the duty of the government to checkmate it. The Federal Government has moved a step forward to evolve the MANCAP and the SONCAP certificates. For you to import a product into Nigeria, you have to get the SONCAP certificate. These are not regulations by the ordinary men but by the government’.

    Mr. Oboro further added, ‘’Sub-standard phones and laptops do not fly into the country. They pass through the border and we have the custom officials there who are supposed to monitor and regulate importation’.

    He however, made a clarion call that all hands must be on deck to ensure that computer village is free from all sub- standard products. In his words: Everyone in Nigeria has a contribution to make. We must put our hands together to drive the process together’.

    Corroborating this was Mr. Emeka, a dealer in laptops and electronic accessories who said, ‘’we all know that these products are not produced in Nigeria but they are imported. It is the duty of the custom officials to monitor what comes into the country but some of these officials are very corrupt, they collect bribes and allow counterfeit products into the country’’.

    He added that though some dealers intentionally import fake products, there are also instances of factory error; where original Smartphone develop technical faults a couple of weeks after purchase and customers blames the dealers instead of the manufacturer.

    Speaking on the increase of sub-standard products at Computer Village, a customer who claimed anonymity said, ‘Computer Village is a market where deceit thrives. I bought a smartphone from one of the shops two days ago, but when I got home, I discovered that the phone cannot access the internet. I have been to the shop twice but the issue is yet to be resolved.

    When asked if he would make a report to the police he said, ‘I would rather let sleeping dog lie, because taking the case to the police does not mean I will get an internet enabled phone at the end. I would not want to lose at both ends.

    A computer Engineer who introduced himself as Olaniyi Sodiq described Computer Village, Ikeja as an IT Village where everything goes regardless of the standard. According to him the market offers products of different qualities to suit the varied taste of its customers.

    He said, ‘if you want to get a new branded phone, a used phone, or even swap your used phone for another, it all depends on the choice of the consumer, I go for the original accessories but sub-standard accessories are also available too’. nformation technology dealers at Computer Village, Ikeja have decried the inadequacies of regulatory government agencies and greed of dubious importers making sub-standard IT products to thrive in the market.

    According to the Secretary General of Computer and Allied Product Dealers Association of Nigeria, CAPDAN, Mr. John Oboro, the government is the only agency that has the instrument of enforcement as the association can do just  a little to curb the menace.

    He said: ‘’The man who imported counterfeit smartphones and laptops want to make profit. But it is the duty of the government to checkmate it. The Federal Government has moved a step forward to evolve the MANCAP and the SONCAP certificates. For you to import a product into Nigeria, you have to get the SONCAP certificate. These are not regulations by the ordinary men but by the government’.

    Mr. Oboro further added, ‘’Sub-standard phones and laptops do not fly into the country. They pass through the border and we have the custom officials there who are supposed to monitor and regulate importation’.

    He however, made a clarion call that all hands must be on deck to ensure that computer village is free from all sub- standard products. In his words: Everyone in Nigeria has a contribution to make. We must put our hands together to drive the process together’.

    Corroborating this was Mr. Emeka, a dealer in laptops and electronic accessories who said, ‘’we all know that these products are not produced in Nigeria but they are imported. It is the duty of the custom officials to monitor what comes into the country but some of these officials are very corrupt, they collect bribes and allow counterfeit products into the country’’.

    He added that though some dealers intentionally import fake products, there are also instances of factory error; where original Smartphone develop technical faults a couple of weeks after purchase and customers blames the dealers instead of the manufacturer.

    Speaking on the increase of sub-standard products at Computer Village, a customer who claimed anonymity said, ‘Computer Village is a market where deceit thrives. I bought a smartphone from one of the shops two days ago, but when I got home, I discovered that the phone cannot access the internet. I have been to the shop twice but the issue is yet to be resolved.

    When asked if he would make a report to the police he said, ‘I would rather let sleeping dog lie, because taking the case to the police does not mean I will get an internet enabled phone at the end. I would not want to lose at both ends.

    A computer Engineer who introduced himself as Olaniyi Sodiq described Computer Village, Ikeja as an IT Village where everything goes regardless of the standard. According to him the market offers products of different qualities to suit the varied taste of its customers.

    He said, ‘if you want to get a new branded phone, a used phone, or even swap your used phone for another, it all depends on the choice of the consumer, I go for the original accessories but sub-standard accessories are also available too’.

  • Customs vs. rice importers

    The Buhari government promised change and sweeping changes at that, especially in view of the wide-spread view that Nigeria witnessed some of the most corruption times in the recent past. Many institutions were known to be openly corrupt in the Nigerian landscape. Were a list to be drawn up, the Nigerian Customs Service would not escape the list. It stands to reason therefore that the leadership of Customs should be jittery, fearful of being swept aside to make way for a reformist who would make a more transparent and effective organization of the service.

    The recent physical crackdown by officers of Nigerian Customs on companies alleged owing excess duties levied after customs had cleared their goods for importation is believed to an effort to paint the present customs administration white and escape the cleansing brush of this administration. Or how else does one interpret the sudden crackdown by Customs, in the face court orders restraining them from taking action against the companies until the various court cases instituted in this respect are vacated.

    Early in the week of 27 June, heavily armed men of the Nigerian Customs invaded premises of seven companies alleged owing N23.6billion on account of unpaid levies in respect of rice importation. Customs alleged that the companies had imported rice in excess of quotas granted them by the Federal Government in its Rice Policy circular. They demanded payment of 40% levy on the deemed excess, imported between June and December 2014.

    Elsewhere, one would have asked if customs officers had access to this policy paper ahead of the importation and admittance of the goods through our ports. One would have wanted to know if customs was aware of the conditions of the incentives attached to these policy initiatives and the conditions under which the incentives could be availed.

    Knowing how thorough our customs men are, they would have scrutinized the policy document and referred it to their legal officers for advice before implementation. Based on their interpretation of the Rice policy circular, they accepted documents submitted by importers operating under this incentive programme at point of importation, and allowed their cargo to be cleared by paying the prescribed10% duty and 20% levy. They accepted this rate repeatedly for six months until December 2014, when the Federal Ministry of Agriculture woke from its slumber and remembered that it had failed to convene a meeting of the inter-ministerial committee as directed by the government or issued quotas to bona fide rice value chain operators as required by the directive. The inter-ministerial committee was saddled with the task of determining the supply shortfall in rice to be made up by importation and the allocation of quotas to bona fide investors.

    One would have thought that customs on receiving the circular would have sought clarification on how far it should go since the circular was clear as to the fact that the incentive was valid for the supply gap as determined by the inter-ministerial committee. They did no such thing. They proceeded to implement the policy paper handed them, and assessed incoming rice cargo by the bona fide importers at the incentive rate of 30%.

    It is still to be ascertained whether only these seven culprits brought in rice at the incentive rate. We understand that the quota unilaterally determined in arrears by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture also granted generous quotas to some would-be investors, who at that time had no verifiable investments in the rice value chain. They had shown the Minister of Agriculture their intent to start rice farming and milling by 2017. This carried a lot of weight with the minister and they were rewarded with bounty allocations at the expense of acknowledged importers who had been given key investor status by the federal government agencies responsible for certifying bona fide investors. No wonder then the bona fide investors allegedly imported in excess of their quota. Their quota had been sharply reduced by the allocation to un-preferred, would-be investors, and existing value chain operators were suddenly thrown off balance, with allocation of less than 10% of the established supply gap. Customs must come out in the open with the complete record of all importers that benefitted from the incentive rate to be a credible organization.

    At the outbreak of the on-going impasse, the aggrieved importers sought and secured a court injunction restraining customs from enforcing the retroactive levy pending the determination of the cases in court. Customs complied and resorted to dialogue with the aggrieved importers. One wonders what then has changed.

    Indeed the fear of the ”agents of change” is the beginning of wisdom. However, the change required of Customs must not be these sporadic interventions at the dawn of their performance review. Nigerian Customs cannot be adjudged effective if its modus operandi is to apply jungle justice or forcefully cracking down on its clients, after the event, in the face of restraining court orders. In a systems driven operation, it would have had the opportunity to analyze the policy circular and raise questions as to the gaps and loop-holes that pervaded it. It further had the opportunity, at point of entry, to seek clarification from its superiors what volume of cargo should be admitted at the incentive rate, as the policy circular clearly stated that the incentive import was to cover the supply gap.

    In this crack down, onlookers witnessed the deployment of sophisticated Customs gadgets and resources, including surveillance helicopters, sophisticated fire arms and trained intelligence officers. If these gadgets and resources were to be deployed in the war against smuggling at our land borders, one avers that customs revenue would almost double. We observe the Seme border night after night and watch unregistered vehicles and cargo laden trailers violate the mercantile laws of our land. We have been told many times that the borders are too large to police and that customs are simply helpless in this regard. The recent demonstration of muscle shows that it is lack of will that’s responsible for our porous borders, that the customs has the wherewithal to do an effective job if they diligently discharge their duties, that they do not lack funding or equipment required to carry out their job.

    One sincerely believes that it will take more than this belated show of muscle to convince the new administration that the customs is an effective, clean, and process-driven operation. We believe the body needs holistic change to reform the attitude and orientation of its rank and file to make the institution transparent and proactive. As a key revenue generating agency, its failings deeply affect the fortunes of national development, hence it must demonstrate beyond reasonable doubt that it is appropriately structured, internally motivated, sufficiently disciplined and has enough depth to discharge its duties, while observing best practice and obeying the rule of law.

    Customs needs more than this sporadic show of force to save its hierarchy from the blowing wind of change.

    • Bankale sent this piece from Victoria Island, Lagos.
  • Customs develops single platform on goods clearance

    Customs develops single platform on goods clearance

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has developed a single window platform to quicken the release of cargoes from the port, its Public Relations Officer, Wale Adeniyi, has said.

    He told The Nation that the Service had experienced some hiccups with  the scanners it inherited from the former service providers, adding that the challenge had been overcome with the single platform now in place.

    He said: “The scanning machines bequeathed to us are not good because they break down most of the time. But the single window platform we have created is assisting us. Once you make genuine declaration, you don’t have problems with Customs in terms of releasing your cargo.’’

    However, Adeniyi, who spoke in Dubai, United Arab Emirate, stressed the need for port users to consider the other support agencies in the ports, which duties also impact on Customs’ operations. He advised other government bodies to adopt the NCS’s approach to facilitate the clearance of goods.

    ‘’But don’t forget that you have other agencies that have one or two responsibilities to perform before your goods can exit the gate because that is where they blamed the Customs for problems not created by us,” Adeniyi said.

    On the pressure put on the Customs by the government to generate more cash rather than facilitate trade, Adeniyi said one of Customs’duties is to generate money for the government.

    On how to make the ports viable and justify their hub status, a senior official of the Federal Ministry of Transport, who spoke on condition that his identity be veiled, said the  Muhammadu Buhari administration should reposition the ports.

    This way, he pointed out, the  seaports can generate adequate revenue to reverse  the dwindling intake from the drop in oil prices at the international spot market, redress the rot in the ports and make them to be  revenue spinners.

    The official said unless the government takes a critical look at the human and infrastructural problems confronting the seaports and addresses them, it may be difficult for it to meet the hub status and would continue to lose cargoes to other ports in the West African sub-region..

    The sea ports, the official claimed, are not competitive and attractive. To him, some senior officials of the Federal Ministry of Finance, the management of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), some other government agencies and key operators in the maritime sector are not on the same page with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) over the plan to make the seaports the hub of shipping and maritime.

    Some of the agencies, according to findings, are yet to key into the single window of the NCS to facilitate the quick cargo clearance from the ports and boost trade.

    President Buhari needs to put some measures in place to reduce human contact at the ports to make them the hub for shipping business within the West and Central African regions, he added.

    The official, however, faulted NPA’s prediction that there would be a 5.9 per cent increase in the tonnage of cargoes coming to the Lagos ports, next year.

    He said the figure was not based on ‘accuracy’, but a mere ‘fallacy’ because in some of the neighbouring ports, such as Cotonuo, Ghana and Togo, officials have adopted the e-payment system and paperless transaction as championed by the NCS.

    “Nigeria is the only oil producing country where officials of Ministry of Finance will put pressure on its Customs Service to generate more revenue, rather than compel it to facilitate trade and make the ports more attractive for business.

    “Before President Goodluck Jonathan left in May, nobody cared about the state of the multi-billion-naira old scanners bequeathed to Customs by the former service providers. They were less concerned that the scanners were not working efficiently, as they  broke down every time and  delayed the process of cargo clearance by Customs officials at ports and borders, yet, the last administration gave Customs about N1.2 trillion  revenue target.

    He continued: “During the last administration, the pressure on the management of the Nigerian Customs Service to generate more revenue was so high that they generated almost a quarter of the nation’s annual budget. Another bad side of it was that Customs collected over 70 per cent of the money from the two ports in Lagos without any corresponding development of the port infrastructure by the Federal Government.

    “To move your cargo in and out of the Lagos ports is still a big problem till today. Therefore, where is the efficiency in our port operation if it takes a truck driver more than three days to pick a container inside the port and another two days to come out? Whereas, in other ports, such as Singapore and Dubai, it takes them just about three hours to move your container out of the port. Even at Cotonou, it takes them less than a day.

    “The government must know that the country cannot attain the hub status of West African vessel traffic if our ports are not efficient and the cost of doing business at the ports remains high. For example, terminal operation charges in the ports for a 20-feet container is N62,682, while that for a 40-feet container is N87,682. The demurrage-free period at our ports is three days. Whereas, it takes truck drivers up to three days to access the port.’’

    He added: “As long as the country is not competitive with its port charges, compared to others in the West African sub region, then the country cannot be a trade hub. One of the ways to achieve this is to improve port infrastructure, embrace paperless transaction, reduce the pressure on Customs for revenue generation and empower the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), as economic regulator, to effectively check all illegal collections at the ports.

    “For instance, the figures from the NPA showed that a total of 31,993 vessels with cumulative registered tonnage of 676,379,752 called at the ports between 2006 and 2012. The, vessels, according to NPA, carried a combined cargo of 467,422,225 metric tonnes.

    “NPA also claimed that cargo throughput handled at Nigerian ports in the third quarter of 2014 stood at 22.3 million metric tonnes, showing an increase of 12.5 per cent over 19.8 million metric tonnes handled in the third quarter of 2013.

    He said the NPA claimed to have handled  4.21 million metric tonnes of general cargo in the third quarter of 2014, representing an increase of 41.7 per  cent over the 2013 third quarter volume of 2.6 million metric tonnes of dry, bulk cargo, representing a marginal increase of 0.6 per cent over the corresponding period of 2013.

    The Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) volume, he said, stood at 5.1 million metric tonnes; a growth of 5.8 per cent over 4.9 million metric tonnes over the third quarter of 2013.”

    He noted: “The ports, NPA claimed, also handled 5.2 million metric tonnes of refined petroleum products, 277, 694 TEUs of laden containers and 217, 080 TEUs of empty containers, representing 9.1 per cent, three per cent and 9.5 per cent increases, over the third quarter of 2013. A total of 1,405 oceans-going vessels it said, called at all Nigerian ports in the third quarter of last year as against a total of 1,366 vessels that called at the same period in 2013, representing an increase of 2.9 per cent.

    “The total gross registered tonnage of all ocean-going vessels in the third quarter 2014 based on the figure released by the NPA amounted to 38 million metric tons, representing an increase of 9.8 per cent increase over the GRT of 34.6 million metric tonnes in the same period of 2013.”

    He added: “But the truth is that the cargo throughput that the NPA is claiming included petroleum products that were imported for local consumption. Does that add value to economic growth in the country? The tankers that brought the petroleum products are also vessels. The figures provided by the NPA also included oil supply vessels that supplied oil rigs frequently, as ocean-going vessels that called at our ports.

    He continued: “But what Nigerians are expecting and need are cargoes that will add value to our productive sector, boost the economy and create employment for millions of Nigerians as we see in other clime.  We believe, figures of port calls should only reflect separately those vessels berthing at the port and discharging cargoes, from those supplying. And that is another big area where President Buhari and economic team need to address to make the port a hub in the sub-region.”

     

  • Customs makes $20m monthly as revenue loophole is plugged

    Customs makes $20m monthly as revenue loophole is plugged

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is saving the nation over $20 million (about N4 billion) monthly through the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), The Nation has learnt.

    The country was hitherto losing money until Customs took over the processing of import transactions – in line with the amended Import Guidelines of the Destination Inspection Scheme.

    A senior Federal Ministry of Finance (FMoF) official confided in The Nation that the last administration paid $2.4 billion (about N480 billion) in eight years to former service providers at the seaports before Customs Comptroller-General (CCG) Dikko Abdullahi introduced PAAR.

    Customs, it was gathered, was contributing N30 billion to the Federation Account before Dikko was appointed. It is now generating over N100 million monthly following the automation of its operation by Dikko.

    The Customs’leadership, the ministry official said, is implementing a critical reform and has repositioned its men for trade facilitation.

    The NCS, he said, provides timely, authoritative and accurate information about trade to business communities worldwide through the Nigerian Trade Portal (NTP), which it created.

    “The leadership of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), in response to the numerous challenges militating against smooth cargo clearance at the ports, came up with an indigenous data base known as the Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS), which is the platform for generating Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR).

    “For eight years, the Federal Government had to pay the former scanning service providers $2.4 billion. The amount was paid before the PAAR was introduced by Alhaji Dikko.

    “PAAR is a risk management tool that replaced the Risk Assessment Report (RAR) and was borne out of Dikko’s desire to boost the economy, instill discipline in the service, to facilitate trade, build better business relationship, transform cargo processes and see to the free flow of trade at the nation’s sea ports based on the global trend.

    “The majority of us in the Ministry of Finance are happy that the PAAR initiative has brought hope after it has allayed the initial fears of the stakeholders and other agencies of the government.

    “PAAR is a game changer for Customs.  Aside simplifying the clearing processing by ensuring things are done professionally at our ports, it has enhanced the nation’s revenue.

    “We have seen the difference between what was generated during Risk Assessment Report (RAR) regime and what was generated by Customs after the introduction of PAAR by Alhaji Dikko. The man and Customs high command have done a good job in boosting revenue profile of the country.

    “For instance, the Nigeria Customs Service witnessed a huge improvement in its revenue in December 2013 with the raking of N85, 455,977,095 (N85.46 billion). Not only that the revenue accruing to the Federal Government was up, the government also saved N4, 653,374,259 (N4.65 billion) the one per cent Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS), which hitherto would have been paid to the service providers.

    The new cargo clearance regime has also received international acceptance and kudos as sister West African countries are sending delegations to now understudy the home grown scheme that was introduced by Dikko,” the official said.

    When The Nation visited Cotonou port last week, a Nigerian, Felix Ayantuga, praised Dikko for his trade facilitation scheme.

    Ayantuga said importers shipped their pipes to neighbouring countries because of the huge tariff in Nigeria.

    “We don’t have problems with the Nigerian Customs. Once you make genuine declaration, officers and men of the Nigerian Customs Service are ready to release your cargo. The introduction of PAAR has made cargo processing and release easier for genuine importers. If an importer makes genuine declaration at any seaport in Nigeria, his container would be released to him in less than two hours after examination.

    “Those that are complaining about Customs procedures are those involved in shady business which the Nigerian Customs is out to correct. For instance, once we load our pipes from here and we pay correct Customs duty at Seme or Idi-Iroko, we would be allowed to go without anybody disturbing you on the road.

    “Since we are the users of PAAR, I want to confirm that we were surprised at the level of competence of Alhaji Dikko in handling of the scheme so far. The delay at the ports in clearing goods had been taken care of and importers are allowed to do a self-assessment in clearing their goods subject to post-audit,” Ayantuga said.

    The President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Prince Olayiwola Shittu described PAAR as the best option to facilitate trade through the ports.

    “The last time I travelled abroad, some Nigerian importers over there asked me to tutor them on how to embark on quick cargo clearance from the seaport. I explained to them what PAAR is all about and the need for them to make genuine declaration when they bring their cargoes to Nigeria.

    “They were all elated after my explanation and full of praises for Dikko and his officers,” Shittu added.

    Nigeria, he said, is one of the 17 countries of the 179-member World Customs Organisation under the shackles of Destination Inspection agents before the introduction of PAAR.

     

  • Customs inaugurates clinic in Lagos

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NSC) has inaugurated a clinic at its Western Marine Command, Apapa, Lagos, to take care of its officers and the host community.

    The clinic was named after the wife of its Comptroller-General, Hayija Sa’Adiya Abdullahi Dikko.

    Speaking at the inauguration, Abdullahi, who was represented by the Deputy Comptroller-General, Musa Tahir, said he was happy the Controller in charge of the Western marine, Umar Yusuf, had rehabilitated the command within his eight months in office.

    Abdullahi said the clinic came at a time when the Customs introduced operation “Hawk Descend” which will make the smugglers look for alternative ways outside the roads and bushes, stressing that the waterways will be their next port of call.

    “I know that officers and men of the command are up to the task because they have the necessary wherewithal and coupled with their training on Ak47, I know you are equally well-prepared,” he said.

    Abdullahi said that the service is serious about the welfare  of its officers, adding that Usman had keyed into the vision of ensuring that the officers are taken care of through the provision of the clinic.

    He said that the clinic is for the officers and also the host community, pointing out that Customs management will continue to support the command.

    The Customs boss assured further that management will ensure that the clinic serves optimally, justifying  the purpose for which it was established,while providing all the necessary facilities.

     

  • Customs seizes N1b goods in Imo

    Customs seizes N1b goods in Imo

    The Nigeria Customs Service, Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘C’ in Owerri, the Imo State capital, seized over N1 billion worth of goods in six months.

    Its Area Controller, David Dimka said the unit seized 226 contraband with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1, 016,833,292 and arrested 129 suspects between January and last month.

    About 118 cases against smugglers, he said, were pending in the courts.

    Findings revealed that in March, the unit recorded 63 seizures with a DPV of N337,368, 522.

    This, according to Dimka, was the highest seizure by the unit in a month with 25 suspects held.

    He said 37 seizures with a DPV of N176,483,600 were made in January; 40 with DPV of N136,708,650 in February; 37 with DPV of N83,302,620 in April; 42 with DPV of N141,228,100 in May and 47 seizures with DPV of N138, 341,400 last month.

    The items seized included 210 vehicles, furniture and 296 bales of fairly used bags and suitcases worth N456,704,500; N101,805,700; N19,584,000; and N30,143,400.

    Others, according to him, are 3,905 pieces of used tyres worth N53,502,100; 2,126 cartons of imported frozen poultry products worth N30,566,804; 1,731 bags of 50kg rice worth of N35,678,600; beverages and juice worth #72,000.

    Dimka said 2,686 pieces of used footwear estimated at N6,253,800; 37 cartons of foreign soap/detergents with 202 cartons of foreign vegetable oil worth N6,874,020 were seized from smugglers.

    Other goods seized by the unit included electrical and electronics parts, used fridges, compressors and machinery that were used to conceal smuggled items worth N303,391,772.

    The NCS chief attributed the massive seizures in March to a stronger quest for materialism by the suspects.

    The Customs Area Controller also expressed concern over the persistent cases of smuggling despite the stiff penalties for those arrested.

    Dimka appealed to the public for their cooperation and support in the war against smuggling, assuring that the NCS men were better trained and equipped to meet its challenges.

    He praised the Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC) Abdullahi Dikko for his support to men of the NCS, noting that these have strengthened his men’s commitment in the fight against smugglers.

     

  • Customs chief urges Kano business community to embrace CET

    Customs chief urges Kano business community to embrace CET

    The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS),  Abdullahi Inde yesterday urged the business community in Kano to embrace the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Common External Tariff (CET) in order to boost economic growth in the state.

    The Customs Comptroller General, who was represented by the Customs Comptroller of Kano/Jigawa Command,  Mathias Abutu at the launch of the CET and sensitisation workshop for stakeholders in Kano, said the call was necessary in order to reduce the region’s dependence on customs revenue generation drive, as well as enhancing economic development among the member countries.

    In his words, ‘’this joint approach of setting tariffs leads to a more predictable and stable trade policy with less room for interference through special interest.

    ‘’A more predictable and stable trade policy will ultimately benefit the average ECOWAS citizen through better economic governance.”

    The Customs boss, who described the new policy as a working tool for NSC and stakeholders, said its importance to the business community in the North, particularly, could not be over-emphasized.

    In his remark, the Director, German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), Mr. Christian Wilmad urged stakeholders to be conversant with the new policy, adding that GIZ are supporting Nigeria in its effort to ensure full implementation of CET.

    Also speaking, the President of Kano Chamber of Commerce, Alhaji Umar Farouk Dansuleka expressed hope that the new policy will bring about synergy among member countries.

    He also urged the NCS to ensure that the policy was implemented to the core to ensure its success, pointing out that ‘’we will call on our members to abide by the rules and regulations guiding the new policy.”

    “I believe that the current position of Kano State and the country will improve since the approval of the kick-off of the programme started on April 1,” but noted that, “I am not sure whether the programme has started here because the borders have been closing for business. So, I urge that even though it has not started from today, we will urge our members to start the follow up and see that they abide by the rules concerning the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET).” Dansuleka said.