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Tag: customs

  • Naval chief woos Customs

    The Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Dele Ezeoba, has called for a joint patrol with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to secure the borders.

    He spoke when he visited the Comptroller-General of Customs, Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko, in Abuja.

    “It is my belief that in the nearest future we will be able to extend our level of partnership by exercising joint patrols as appropriate within a clearly defined operational command and control structure,” he said.

    Ezeoba said the Navy is constitutionally required to assist the Customs in the en-forcement of customs laws and regulations.

    He added that within the context of the emerging challenges, the two organisations needed to “strike a chord of strategic partnership’’ to help discharge their duties effectively.

    The naval chief said it was common knowledge that security agencies tend to exercise authority “within their comfort zone.”

    He, however, cautioned that such practice did not augur well for the required synergy between security agencies.

    He requested Customs to train naval officers on items on the import prohibition list.

    The training, he said, would enable naval officers on patrol on the high seas to “know what to look out for, in what quantum and what defines other law infringements.”

    Ezeoba, who commended Dikko for the ongoing reforms in the NCS, said the Navy has a lot to learn from his experience.

    Dikko pledged that the Customs would continue to work with the Navy, particularly in the area of operations and training.

    He said both security agencies had enjoyed very “cordial and good relationship.”

     

  • Customs, exporters battle over EEG

    The Customs and the Federation of Agricultural Commodity Association of Nigeria (FACAN) are bickering over the implementation of the Export Expansion Grant (EEG).

    FACAN accused Customs of rejecting Negotiable Duty Credit Certificates (NDCC) for payment.

    But Customs denied the allegation, claiming that some members of the association are misusing the grant.

    The Federal Government introduced EEG in 2005 and adopted the use of NDCC for payment of import duty for some machinery and critical raw materials, to cushion the effect of infrastructural deficiency faced by exporters.

    The Customs said it has not stopped the use of the certificates for payment, but only embarked on close monitoring, to check abuse.

    FACAN’s National President Dr Victor Iyama said the government gave the grant for the payment of import duties.

    He said some exporters were not able to redeem their EEGs for years because of the Customs’ refusal to honour their requests.

    Some exporters, he said, had not been able to enjoy the grant because of the Customs.

    He said: “It is affecting their revenue collection because whenever they take it, they also lose their own seven per cent of their revenue.

    “It’s a well-designed incentive by the Federal Government to grow non-oil export sector. There is still a clog in the wheel of progress. There has always been one problem or the other.

    “The Federal Government gives EEG in form of NDCC’s; that is, the Negotiable Duty Customs Certificate. It can only be redeemed through payment of import duties.

    “For quite some time, exporters have been having a running battle in disposing the certificates because as an exporter you can either use it to pay for duties for the goods you have imported or sell it to a third party to pay with, of course, a discount.

    “But for some time, it has been difficult because the Customs has been a clog in the wheel of progress because they are saying that it is affecting their own revenue collection because whenever they take it, they also lose their own seven per cent revenue, which is the normal seven per cent they get from the accrued revenue.’’

    Iyama said the EEG is not like subsidy. He urged the government to assist in sustaining the growing sector.

    He pleaded with the government to instruct the Customs to work with the panelists set up to disburse the EEGs to the exporters.

    “The people who make up the panel are the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Ministry of Finance, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Customs. The CBN checks the fact that you have exported and repatriated the funds through your banks, while the Customs checks that you have shipped them,” he said.

    Customs’ Public Relations Officer (PRO) Mr Wale Adeniyi told The Nation that some of the exporters were using the NDCC for purposes not meant.

    Customs is concerned because some members of the group use it to bring exotic cars into the country and that is illegal, he said.

    “I am not aware of any restriction or stoppage of the use of the certificates, but what we are doing is close monitoring, to stop abuse of the policy.We are only monitoring the implementation to ensure that it is in line with the objectives of the scheme,” he said.

    “Discussion is on-going that it should form part of our revenue. But we are concerned that some people are using it for wrong purpose. None of our commands will reject it once it is genuine. We don’t reject them,” he added.

  • Customs fails to meet N320b target

    The Apapa Area One Command of the Nigeria Customs failed to meet its N320 billion revenue target last year.

    The command made N283 billion.

    On export, the command got as N129.9 billion, leaving a shortfall of N37 billion.

    Sources said the commodities exported included palm kernel cake, cocoa beans and wheat bran pallets, cashew nuts, sesame seeds, ginger, hibiscus flower, gum Arabic, processed rubber, shrimps, and lead ingot.

    Others were 4,625,837 square feet of processed leather, 74,547 cases of Dettol brand of disinfectant, Maggi Crayfish, 29,062 cartons of biscuits, 97,100 bags of assorted bathroom slippers and 1,655,320 litres of ethyl alcohol.

    Investigation also revealed that there has been an increase in the number of containers scanned at the Apapa port.

    The command scanned 18,489 containers last year.

    A breakdown of containers at the port shows that 3,390 were scanned for the first quarter with an average of 113 containers daily; the second quarter recorded 4,225 with a daily average of 142 containers.

    For the third quarter, 4,832 containers were scanned with a daily average of 161; 6,042 containers were scanned in the last quarter with an average of 201 scanned daily.

    Sources said a total of 14,128 containers were exited from the port using the fast track method.

    “Currently, 119 companies have availed themselves of this service and have achieved a monthly average of 1,177 containers exiting the ports under the scheme, a total of 14,128 containers were exited using fast track method,” the source said.

    Despite the fact that the command was N40 billion short of the expected revenue target for last year, Umar said an unprecedented N283 billion was collected as total revenue between January and December last year.

     

  • Customs fails to meet N320b target

    The Apapa Area One Command of the Nigeria Customs failed to meet its N320 billion revenue target last year.

    The command made N283 billion.

    On export, the command got as N129.9 billion, leaving a shortfall of N37 billion.

    Sources said the commodities exported included palm kernel cake, cocoa beans and wheat bran pallets, cashew nuts, sesame seeds, ginger, hibiscus flower, gum Arabic, processed rubber, shrimps, and lead ingot.

    Others were 4,625,837 square feet of processed leather, 74,547 cases of Dettol brand of disinfectant, Maggi Crayfish, 29,062 cartons of biscuits, 97,100 bags of assorted bathroom slippers and 1,655,320 litres of ethyl alcohol.

    Investigation also revealed that there has been an increase in the number of containers scanned at the Apapa port.

    The command scanned 18,489 containers last year.

    A breakdown of containers at the port shows that 3,390 were scanned for the first quarter with an average of 113 containers daily; the second quarter recorded 4,225 with a daily average of 142 containers.

    For the third quarter, 4,832 containers were scanned with a daily average of 161; 6,042 containers were scanned in the last quarter with an average of 201 scanned daily.

    Sources said a total of 14,128 containers were exited from the port using the fast track method.

    “Currently, 119 companies have availed themselves of this service and have achieved a monthly average of 1,177 containers exiting the ports under the scheme, a total of 14,128 containers were exited using fast track method,” the source said.

    Despite the fact that the command was N40 billion short of the expected revenue target for last year, Umar said an unprecedented N283 billion was collected as total revenue between January and December last year.

     

  • Customs fails to meet N872b target

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) generated N850,876,698,974.19 last year.

    Its Deputy Public Relations Officer Assistant Comptroller Joseph Attah told The Nation that the Service in 2011 exceeded the Federal Government’s target of N596 billion by recording N741.83 billion.

    Attah said waiver concessions that were granted to some persons and companies were over N30 billion.

    “The government gave us a target of N872 billion and we realised N850 billion. We would have hit the target, but for waiver concession that was granted,” he said.

    He said the additional N328 billion by its Comptroller-General, Alhaji Dikko I Abdulahi, was a strategy to surpass the N872 billion target the government set for the Service.

    The Ports and Terminal Multiservice Limited (PTML) command said the total revenue it collected last year stood at N71,267,589,007 as against N51,264,053,039 in 2011.

    Its Public Relations Officer, Mr Steve Okonmah, said this was an increase of N20,003,535,698 over the figure it collected in 2011.

    Analysing the figure, Okonmah said a total of N43.83 billion went into the Federation Account while N27.43 billion was for the non-Federation Account.

    On anti-smuggling, the command said 18 seizures were made last year. “A breakdown shows that eight of the containers were 40ft while seven were 20ft containers. Also, three vehicles were seized,” he stated.

    The Comptroller of the command, Mr Zakari Jibrin, while promising an improvement in the revenue drive of the command and renewed commitment to anti-smuggling, warned that tough times await fraudulent importers this year.

     

  • Freight forwarders petition Jonathan over Customs Act

    The National Association of Government approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has petitioned President Goodluck Jonathan and Senate President David Mark over attempts to frustrate the amendment of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) 1958.

    The association claims that there are “powerful forces”within the government bent on stopping the National Assembly from amending the law.

    The freight forwarders also requested House Speaker Aminu Tambuwal and National Security Adviser Sambo Dasuki to intervene in the matter.

    In a January 11 letter exclusively obtained by The Nation, the association’s head of Legal Department, Mr Larry Okonkwo, said the CEMA Act could no longer address the challenges facing the industry.

    He wondered why some government officials are collaborating with unpatriotic elements to frustrate the amendment of the Act.

    NAGAFF said the amendment would not threaten the President’s power to appoint the Custom’s Comptroller-General. It urged the President to call to order government officials alleged to be serving the interests of their masters.

    “This amendment does not threaten the power of the President to appoint the Comptroller-General of Customs. It is the Constitution that empowers the President to also appoint the Inspector-General of Police, Directors-General of Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration Control (NAFDAC), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and ministers.

    “This is a constitutional responsibility of the President as enunciated in Section 5 (1) (a) of the 1999 Constitution.”

    NAGAFF said the power to appoint the Customs Comptroller-General and the Finance Minister responsible for the administration of the service rests with the President.

    The group said it was wrong for anyone or group to insinuate that the President’s powers would be eroded by some amendments as envisaged by the CEMA Bill before the National Assembly.

    NAGAFF said the bill only granted partial autonomy to Customs “which we think is good for a modern Customs to emerge”. It urged the President to support the passage of the bill.

    “The synopsis of the CEMA Bill seeks to give partial autonomy to the Nigeria Customs Service. This is, to us, a welcome development because it is in line with modern day public management trends. This will encourage innovation and shorten bureaucratic red tape.

    “The unnecessary interference with the operations of the service will create a counter-productive atmosphere that would hamper the smooth and efficient running of the service,” the group said.

     

  • Customs smashes a smuggling ring

    Customs smashes a smuggling ring

    The Customs has smashed a smuggling ring on the Agbara-Badagry Waterway, impounding 7,269 bags of rice.

    Area Controller, Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘A’, Comptroller Dan Ugo, said the seizure was made by a team led by two officers, Kirawa Abdullahi and Zarka Audu.

    The team was said to have been tipped off and it swung into action catching up with smugglers at Agbara.

    Ugo said: “What you see here is in furtherance to the wake-up call by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Dr. Abdullahi Dikko Inde, on zero tolerance for importation of rice through the land borders.

    “The unit will continue to collaborate with the Rice Importers Association of Nigeria and other critical stakeholders in ensuring that the unpatriotic attitudes of these “businessmen” are nipped in the bud.”

    Dikko, Ugo said, had directed officers and men of the service to work hard during the yuletide to stop smugglers.

    Also, the unit intercepted a truckload of 155 bags of parboiled rice and 95 kegs of 25 liters of vegetable oil on the Shaki-Igbokpe road in Oyo State.

    The controller said the seizure followed harmonisation of intelligence gathering by three teams in the unit.

    Ugo lauded the Customs management for providing the logistics and tools which aided the seizure.

    He also praised his officers for their dedication to duty.

    Investigation by The Nation, revealed that the upsurge in smuggling on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway made the Western Marines Command to place its officers and men on alert.

  • Customs Command seizes N22m goods

    Customs Command seizes N22m goods

    The Western Marine Command (WMC) of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has seized smuggled goods with duty paid value put at N22.124 million.

    The Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Zakka Audu, said the seizure covered September to November.

    The Comptroller said the seizures were done on 21 different occasions. An analysis of the operations made available by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Chado Zakari showed that in September, 10 seizures were recorded while in October and November the number stood at four and seven.

    A further analysis of the Command’s Monthly Returns on Suppression of smuggling Forms made available to The Nation showed that in September the value of smuggled goods stood at N12.751 million while the estimated duty paid value (DPV) stood at N13.969 million. For the months of October and November the value of the arrested smuggled goods stood at N1.945 million and N5.466 million respectively while the estimated duty paid value (DPV) stood at N2.543 million and N5.612 million.

     

  • Customs denies attempt to bribe lawmakers

    The Customs Service has denied buying 200 cars for members of the National Assembly to pass the amended Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA).

    Its Customs National Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller Wale Adeniyi, said the claims by the Managing Director of Maritime Media Limited, Elder Asu Beks, that Customs acquired the cars to influence the lawmakers to free the Service from the control of the Presidency and the Federal Ministry of Finance were not true.

    “It is good and easy for us to address the issue raised by Mr Asu Beks. First, he raised the allegation that Customs bribed the distinguished Senators with 200 cars to pass the CEMA Bill. Well, we find this allegation curious and unfounded and these are allegations that Mr Asu Beks cannot back up with any evidence. This is not a substantive issue, but, for me as a concerned Nigerian and as a Customs officer, the onus of proof lies with MrAsu Beks to tell Nigerians how Customs actually bribed the distinguished Senators with 200 vehicles. “Beks needs to come out with more facts. What type of vehicles are they? What model? Where were the vehicles bought? Were they imported into Nigeria? He needs to let Nigerians know that this is the evidence he has. He cannot just come and make this type of allegation and we allow him to go like that. It is also in the interest of distinguished members of the House, because it is a credibility issue, and throwing this kind of allegation wildly at them like this is not good for our democracy.”

    The Customs image-maker said the attempt to pass the new Customs bill is noble, because the existing CEMA is old and obsolete.

    “The exercise is to bring the law in tandem with the challenges of modern Customs administration. It is obvious that people like Beks, who are condemning this bill, have not read it. It is so obvious. What this bill sought to repeal is the old 1958 Act. There is a new Act, which was enacted in 2004, which is the Customs Excise Consolidated Act 2004 CAP C49. All the powers of Mr President in terms of granting waivers and concession are intact in Section 12 of this particular Act. Section 12 talks, particularly, about the powers to impose, to vary or remove any import duty and to amend the schedule of the tariff.

    “These are powers that are vested in Mr President and these powers are intact. So, Mr Beks and the like have not read the bill. CAP 49 of 2004 is not among the provisions that the new bill seeks to repeal. All the other powers of the Minister; the power to appoint the Board and members of the Board; to chair the Board of the Nigeria Customs Service and all the powers of the Board are all enshrined in the new bill. They are there and the new bill is not taking away any power that was vested in the under the former Act,” Adeniyi stated.

    He told The Nation that Customs might take legal action against Beks to compel him to proof his unfounded allegation.

  • Customs seizes N600m goods in Owerri

    The Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone ‘C’ of the Nigeria Custom Service has seized goods worth over N600million in Owerri.

    The seizure was part of measures to check smuggling and other illegal activities in the zone.

    The Comptroller of the Zone, Mohammed Biu, said his officers and men made 15 seizures, worth N600million in September.

    He said they were able to clamp down on smugglers because of the dedicated officers in the zone, who do not cut corners nor compromise standards.

    Mohammed said since his resumption at the command two months ago, he has focused on closing linkages.