The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Importers

  • Stop abusing ECOWAS protocol, importers, agents told

    Importers and clearing agents at land borders have been urged to stop abusing the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) to boost revenue and facilitate trade.

    World Cargo Investment Managing Director Adesope Aderoju, who spoke with The Nation at Seme Border,  said ETLS was introduced by ECOWAS to facilitate the integration of trade and commerce among member states.

    He said the scheme was set up to eliminate barriers and promote free trade, adding that it allows goods manufactured in member-states to move freely without payment of import/export duties within the region.

    “The scheme has been subjected to unbridled abuse, especially by some unscrupulous importers and Asian businessmen. These unscrupulous people bring in goods from China and other Asian countries, ship them into the sub-region and land such goods in ports of neighbouring countries such as Benin Republic, Ivory Coast, Ghana and even lately Liberia. They subsequently change the labels on these goods and smuggle them through the land borders into the country,”he said.

    The implications of this, according to a source, are grave. The source said apart from the loss of huge government revenue, goods that find their way into the market in this manner gain unfair competitive price advantage over locally made products.

    Apart from ETLS abuse, which is mostly perpetrated through the land borders, many importers also disregard the country’s import policy by bringing in various goods, including those banned by the government through seaports.

     

  • Ship owners, importers back NIMASA’s 5% growth  forecast 

    The Nigerian Shipowners Association (NISA), importers and clearing agents have urged the Federal Government to work with the  five per cent growth forecast by the Nigerian Maritime Administrator and Safety Agency ( NIMASA).

    According to them, there has been a steady increase in the level of investments and freight earnings from the sector, urging the government and its agencies at the ports to work with the forecast and see how to improve on it.

    Its President Alhaji Aminu Umar said NISA aligned with the five per cent maritime growth, forecast by NIMASA. He added that commercial banks had shown interest in financing indigenous ship owners, contrary to what obtained during the 2016 economic recession.

    He noted that foreign fund managers have been coming into the country to discuss how to fund maritime assets.

    Umar said there was no doubt that the industry could achieve the five per cent growth and probably surpass it.

    “Based on what we have seen since the beginning of this year, we believe we can surpass the five per cent growth forecast, if not double digit We believe it would be close to the double digit in the maritime sector.

    “The foreign reserve of the country has gone up, this showed a positive impact in the economy, which means that  our banks have the funds  to fund shipping. We have seen positive impact on the banks because they are already talking about funding a lot of maritime assets. So in my own opinion, the outlook is very positive,” he said.

    Umar continued: “Two years ago, banks did not even entertain you talking about funding; we are now seeing a lot of positive investments, a lot of private equity funds are now coming to invest in maritime assets. We have seen foreign funds managers, who are coming from Europe and are also talking about funding maritime assets here. We believe the outlook would be great for this year and 2019.

    “For the past two years, the freight earnings have been down  since 2016, but we are looking at it now that the freight earnings is already going up.”

    The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) outgoing President, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, said NIMASA’s five per cent growth projection was posible because the world maritime economic situation was improving and Nnigeria would benefit from it.

    According to him, many importers are bringing cargoes to the country instead of diverting them to neigbouring countries’ports, while ship owners are planning to invest in the industry because freight rates are going up.

    “The projection made by NIMASA is one of the tools we need to grow the maritime industry. The forecast will assist in the areas of having and keeping accurate records and plan for the future.

    “ The forecast will help to know if we are able to meet our target and if there are things we must put in place like good road net work, quick evacuation of cargoes, review of government policy and tariffs at the ports, among others. We pray that this year and next year will be the leading light to the peak in freight and maritime robust earnings for the country,” Shittu said.

    An importer, Mr Felix Abraham, urged the government to pay adequate attention to the industry because of the huge potential it holds for the nation. Maritime trade, he said, is the bedrock of the global business, and its connection to import, export and the growth of the world economy.

    “ That is why the five per cent growth forecast by NIMASA is a tool we must all work with to grow the economy,” Abraham said.

     

  • NPA’s trade facilitation excites operators, stakeholders, importers

    The Nigerian Ports Authority  (NPA) has embarked on trade facilitation programmes to boost trade at the ports, and the importers and clearing agents are happy for it, The Nation has learnt.

    Its Managing Director (MD) Ms Hadiza Bala Usman, it was gathered, has directed the agency’s officials to attend to every document on their table within 24 hours or be sanctioned.

    Some senior officers of the authority, it was gathered, had been queried for delaying customers’ papers.

    Sources at NPA said she had instructed every staff member to adopt the trade facilitation programme of the Federal Government by fast-tracking cargo clearance papers and implementing  government policies on quick cargo clearance to  to generate more revenue and boost the  economy.

    No paper, it was learnt, stays on her table for more than 24 hours without receiving attention.

    Sources said she had to go to some departments last week to ensure that customers’ papers were not delayed.

    This new approach, it was learnt, was responsible for the success the authority recorded at the ports and  in terms of the modernisation and transformation of NPA’s operations, a development, which importers and other operators said, contributed to the quick clearance of cargoes from the  ports

    The MD, stakeholders said, had no option than to embark on trade facilitation because she had received the support of President Muhammadu Buhari to re-organise and manage one of the highest revenue-yielding government agencies.

    Her zeal and patriotism for the development of  the economy, findings revealed, was responsible for why she was appointed to carry out the onerous task which, stakehold-ers said, she had  done diligently.

    TheAssociation of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) President, Prince Olayiwola Shittu, said Ms Usman does not joke with trade facilitation.

    “No paper stays on Ms Usman’s table for more than 12 hours before she releases them for quick cargo clearance.This is also because she has made the principle her watch word since her assumption of office as the Managing Director and in all the ports.

    “She believes that when any document experiences delay, the implications can be more. Thus, as far as she is concerned, prompt treatment of documents is a must in port operations.

    ‘’According to her, the documents represent money and the government needs the money to develop tpeople,“ he said.

    Shittu also described Ms Usman as a humble and listening leader who attend to every issue brought to her attention to attract business to the port.

    Besides, a senior officer of the authority, Mr Ibrahim Nosiru and others who do not want their names in print, said Ms Usman had inculcated her trade facilitation message in her officers and taught them why they must not delay documents.

    “The Managing Director has tutored us that when you delay import documents, you increase the cost of clearing such goods, because you make the importers to accumulate demurrage and you delay the purpose for which such goods would have been put to used for the proper development of  the economy, ” he said.

     

     

  • Importers abandon 150 containers, 100 vehicles at Tin Can

    Over 150 containers and 100 vehicles worth over N1 billion have been abandoned at Tin-Can Island Port and other bonded terminals in Lagos because  of  bad roads.

    Source said the importers were also finding it difficult to get loans to fund their business.

    The devaluation of the naira and the bad roads are said to be affecting their operations.

    A source said the Federal Government is not helping matters

     by not getting terminal operators and shipping firms to reduce their charges.

    The President, Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu,  gave five reasons why importers abandoned their goods:

    • the ports are the most expensive in West Africa;
    • bad roads;
    • high exchange rate;
    • non-availability of trailer parks and holding bays for empty containers and
    • poor mechanism in controlling trucks and tankers that are coming to the ports and its environ

    Banks, an importer, Mr Festus Owolabi said, has stopped lending to importers because of the fall of the naira and the increase in the prices of goods.

    “There is no doubt that activities at the ports have reduced because of the exchange rate. The terminal operators and the shipping companies are also not helping matters. Our port is the most expensive in the sub-region. Most importers are not making profit and that is why they have decided to abandon their goods at the ports.

    ‘’The roads are bad. Many goods are trapped at the port; there is bound to be congestion, most of the importers borrowed money from the banks; before they collect their Bill of Lading, they must make the payment, but what is happening now is that, with the exchange rate, they are finding it difficult to get the balance and pay back to collect the papers and clear their cargoes.

    “Many importers with Bill of Lading are also finding it difficult to pay Customs duties because of the value of the naira and that is why goods worth billion of naira are trapped at the ports.

    “As the situation of the road is now, there is no cargo that does not go into demurrage in Nigeria because the shipping companies start collecting money immediately the cargo arrives at the port.” he said.

    He said importers pay N360 to N370 as official rate to a dollar for Customs’ transactions.

    A Customs officer, who pleaded anonymity, said many goods were trapped at the ports because of the bad roads, the exchange rate and the inability of the government to find solution to the traffic on the roads

    He said: “We are aware that many importers are finding it difficult to pay their duties, but there is nothing we can do because that is the revenue we are asked to collect by the government. Once an importer brings an item into our port, he must pay the necessary duty unless he or she was given waiver before the importation commences.

    “Except he pays the amount required by law, the only alternative opened to him is to abandon the goods. And that is why we are having so many containers, trucks and vehicles in the ports that have not been cleared by the importers. But my advice to them is to look for money, pay the duty and move their vehicles out of the ports before they become over-time cargo and confiscated by the government’’.

  • NSC to importers, exporters: don’t breach palletisation policy

    NSC to importers, exporters: don’t breach palletisation policy

    The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Hassan Bello, has urged importers to obey the cargo palletisation policy of the Federal Government or face sanctions. The policy, Bello said, has come to stay.

    Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum in Lagos on the need for seamless operations at the Inland Dry Ports, he warned any importer against violating the order.

    The NSC helmsman said: “The palletisation issue is already on, there is no going back on it and the concerns of the critical stakeholders would always be noted and we will ensure that some of the issues are addressed,” Bello said.

    He urged stakeholders in the export and import trade value chains to be  acquainted with the export and import guidelines to avoid sanction.

    The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, had said the palletisation of cargoes coming into the country would aid manual examination of consignment, while the country awaits the acquisition and installation of functional scanners at the seaports and land borders.

    She gave January 1, 2018 as the take-off date for the new policy.

    ”In order to ensure quick clearance of import at the Nigerian ports and borders, the additional responsibilities assigned to the relevant government agencies would be carried out in a well-coordinated and collaborated manner, while the sanctions specified for non-compliance with the provisions of the guidelines would be strictly and impartially applied across board,” Mrs Adeosun said.

    Bello urged stakeholders to work together for effective operations of the Kaduna Inland Dry Port (KIDP).

    He said that such synergy would complement the Federal Government’s efforts on the Ease of Doing Business.

    According to Bello, “if we do not work together, there is no how we can achieve the benefits of the IDP.

    “Over 10 years ago, we have been on the issue of the dry ports, including railways.

    “All efforts actually come to reality with the support of President Muhammadu Buhari who told the private sector to synergise to achieve effective dry port in the country.

    “We have been working with operators and the idea is to establish modern inland dry ports and the ease of doing business must be instituted in the ports,’’ he said.

    Also speaking at the event, the Chairman of the Kaduna Inland Day Port; Mr. Tope Borishade, pleaded for stakeholders’ cooperation for him to achieve his mandate as a dry port operator.

    Borishade said that the KIDP would not compete with sea ports, but will collaborate to improve the ease of doing business.

    He said that Nigeria was already losing cargo to neighbouring countries and promised that KIDP would improve government’s revenue by attracting more cargo into the country.

    “Over the past decades, there have been ICNL, Kaduna State government, the Nigerian Shippers Council and the stakeholders have been working in developing this dry port. We can only take it forward with our support and cooperation. So after this, I believe we are going to have feedback from stakeholders so that we can make this work for everybody. We are not in competition with the seaports”, he said.

    The ICNL Port Manager, Mr Rotimi Rahimi, urged  the Customs to secure the recognition of dry ports by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) through inclusion in the list of ports of origin and destination on the Form ‘M’ e-platform.

    “The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) should develop invoice rating models for seaports and terminals as well as shipping companies that would encourage use of dry ports.

    “NPA should also engage seaport concessionaires to provide separate access for both inward and outward movement of dry port cargo.

    “Shipping companies should operate through Bill of Lading from ports of Origin to ports of Destination to process shipping documents for import and export release at the dry ports.

    “Shipping companies must have their presence in Kaduna to provide shipping services to shippers, while the terminal operators should allow shipping companies to move cargo from the ports without hindrance.

    “The concessionaires should allow 30-day rent passage for dry port cargo and should also grant priority terminal access for trucks hauling dry port cargo,” Rahimi said.

    The Managing Director, Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC), Mr Freeborn Okhiria, said that all efforts must be geared toward improving cargo delivery.

    Okhiria urged importers and exporters to make adequate use of the dry port to boost economy.

    He expressed the commitment of the NRC to ensure 24-hour cargo delivery service at the dry port

    Okhiria said that the corporation would purchase about 10 container wagons before June to facilitate the smooth operations of the IDP, adding that the NRC would ensure that “importer and exporters enjoy the services they pay for’’.

  • Importers, exporters urge Fed Govt to establish Maritime Bank

    Importers, exporters urge Fed Govt to establish Maritime Bank

    Finance Minister Mrs Kemi Adeosun and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) have been urged to facilitate the establishment of a maritime bank to boost trade.

    Speaking at a forum organised by over 600 cargo owners, importers, exporters and shippers in Lagos, a maritime lawyer, Mr Dipo Alaka, pushed for the establishment of the bank with the Cabotage Vessel Finance Fund (CVFF) to address inadequate funding of the sector.

    Alaka said such bank had become imperative because only few banks were responding to cargo owners, importers, exporters and manufacturers’ needs.

    He said over 12 years after the passage of the Cabotage Act, the sector was still under-funded.

    The Federal Government, he said, should use the Cabotage funds domiciled with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to empower Nigerians wishing to acquire vessels.

    He called on Transportation Minister Rotimi Amaechi and NIMASA Director-General Dr. Dakuku Peterside to facilitate the establish-ment of the bank.

    A cargo owner from Belgium, Mr Rasheed Muritala, said the bank would eliminate the funding problems in ports’development and operations, ship building and acquisition, ship repairs, marine safety and environmental protection, among others.

    Muritala pointed out that the reason Nigeria could not compete in the supply of shipping services at the ports and in multi-modal transport services in the sub-region was yet to be addressed.

    He said despite banks’consolidation, they were yet to appreciate the maritime sector’s peculiarity and adequately support its funding.

    An industrialist, Chief Raphael Johnson, said it was time for the Federal Government, in collaboration with stakeholders, to drive the right policies that would enable Nigeria become a hub of ship finance companies as was presently the case in Singapore.

    He stated a confluence of critical stakeholders, government, shipowners and the finance sector was imperative to induce the much-needed development in indigenous shipping.

    Johnson said many stakeholders, government, banks, shipowners, who ventured into ship-financing either shied away from it or traded blames having had their “fingers severely burnt”.

    To move the industry forward, he said parties should return to the drawing board and provide for holistic, unbiased appraisals, deliberations and resolutions geared towards the advancement of the sector.

    “In Belgium, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States, they have maritime development banks that give out money to the industry at almost one  per cent interest rate. But contrary to what is obtainable in those countries, in Nigeria, you have banks giving loans at interest rates of between 20 and 25 per cent per annum,” he said, adding: “Nigerian banks must forgo short-term profits and support long-term maritime projects.”

    Banks, he  said, must take long-term view of funding projects and recognise the value that sustained investments would have on the sector.

     

  • Importers, agents urge govt to invest in infrastructure

    Importers, agents urge govt to invest in infrastructure

    How can Nigeria become a hub of maritime operations in West and Central Africa? It is by getting the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to develop new port facilities comparable to none in the sub-region.

    Importers’ and clearing agents made this suggestion at a forum in Lagos.

    According to their spokesperson, Sesan Abolarinwa, it is imperative for the government to promote the maritime industry to benefit from the increasing cargo traffic across the globe.

    New facilities, Abolarinwa, Bolas Motors Managing Director, said should be designed by the Ministry of Transport to meet the logistics needs of the industry in anticipation of future development.

    He called on the government to fund maritime researches, saying the sector lacked in-depth investigation due to poor funding.

    ‘‘The maritime industry has experienced an appreciable development in recent years. That development is set to stay. World trade continues to shift global markets and production lines make new demands on transport systems and on ports in particular.

    ‘‘Ports serve the national interest, supporting the competitiveness of national and regional economies. It is in the nation’s interest that our ports remain able to handle cargo trade and its potential development efficiently and sustainably,” he said.

    The maritime industry, according to Abolarinwa, was in dire need of a number of reforms. “New port facilities would help to bring the industry to international  standards. The importers lamented that previous administrations, like most practitioners in the maritime industry, did not live by the rules guiding the profession, which they said has resulted in a number of problems in the sector.

    “The maritime industry requires reforms; reform by way of standardising, educating, informing, sanitising the practice and making it global because the mere mention of the words import and export trade means we are not doing it locally, but across borders. Therefore, there are set rules, information and knowledge that  operators must possess,” he said.

    Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) President, Prince Olayiwola Shittu said the maritime industry has project for rapid and sustainable growth.

    “Based on this development and the strategic position Nigeria occupy in the industry and the sub-region for the development of human capital for an enhanced economy, it is expected of the government to train our youth to develop interest in maritime education,” Shittu said.

    To meet the manpower requirement for the nation’s fleet, Shittu also canvassed for robust, consistent, versatile and dynamic maritime policies, which are in tandem with global issues to ensures efficiency.

    He lamented that the country, despite its huge population, has no standard maritime institute compared to countries such as the Philippines, which he said, has over 40 maritime academies with half of the population.

    The Philippines, Shittu said supplies over 30 per cent of the world’s seafarers’ requirement.

    He noted that the Philippines earn over $1.6 billion from reparation from seafarers.

    Shittu emphasised the need for a training school to develop competent manpower for the sector, adding that the industry would grow if the government co-opted the private sector into its manpower development strategy.

    A stakeholder, Mr Benson Adegboyega, called on the Federal Government to formulate a new policy that would promote business at the ports.

    This, according to him, requires strengthening regional commitment to eradicating sub-standard shipping and ensure the rapid development of the industry.

     

  • Importers, agents urge govt to invest in infrastructure

    How can Nigeria become a hub of maritime operations in West and Central Africa? It is by getting the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) to develop new port facilities comparable to none in the sub-region.

    Importers’ and clearing agents made this suggestion at a forum in Lagos.

    According to their spokesperson, Sesan Abolarinwa, it is imperative for the government to promote the maritime industry to benefit from the increasing cargo traffic across the globe.

    New facilities, Abolarinwa, Bolas Motors Managing Director, said should be designed by the Ministry of Transport to meet the logistics needs of the industry in anticipation of future development.

    He called on the government to fund maritime researches, saying the sector lacked in-depth investigation due to poor funding.

    ‘‘The maritime industry has experienced an appreciable development in recent years. That development is set to stay. World trade continues to shift global markets and production lines make new demands on transport systems and on ports in particular.

    ‘‘Ports serve the national interest, supporting the competitiveness of national and regional economies. It is in the nation’s interest that our ports remain able to handle cargo trade and its potential development efficiently and sustainably,” he said.

    The maritime industry, according to Abolarinwa, was in dire need of a number of reforms. “New port facilities would help to bring the industry to international  standards. The importers lamented that previous administrations, like most practitioners in the maritime industry, did not live by the rules guiding the profession, which they said has resulted in a number of problems in the sector.

    “The maritime industry requires reforms; reform by way of standardising, educating, informing, sanitising the practice and making it global because the mere mention of the words import and export trade means we are not doing it locally, but across borders. Therefore, there are set rules, information and knowledge that  operators must possess,” he said.

    Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) President, Prince Olayiwola Shittu said the maritime industry has project for rapid and sustainable growth.

    “Based on this development and the strategic position Nigeria occupy in the industry and the sub-region for the development of human capital for an enhanced economy, it is expected of the government to train our youth to develop interest in maritime education,” Shittu said.

    To meet the manpower requirement for the nation’s fleet, Shittu also canvassed for robust, consistent, versatile and dynamic maritime policies, which are in tandem with global issues to ensures efficiency.

    He lamented that the country, despite its huge population, has no standard maritime institute compared to countries such as the Philippines, which he said, has over 40 maritime academies with half of the population.

    The Philippines, Shittu said supplies over 30 per cent of the world’s seafarers’ requirement.

    He noted that the Philippines earn over $1.6 billion from reparation from seafarers.

    Shittu emphasised the need for a training school to develop competent manpower for the sector, adding that the industry would grow if the government co-opted the private sector into its manpower development strategy.

    A stakeholder, Mr Benson Adegboyega, called on the Federal Government to formulate a new policy that would promote business at the ports.

    This, according to him, requires strengthening regional commitment to eradicating sub-standard shipping and ensure the rapid development of the industry.

  • ‘Nearly all importers evade duty’

    ‘Nearly all importers evade duty’

    The Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) yesterday said that 99 per cent of the nation’s importers are non-compliant with the Customs’ duty and charges.

    According to him, Nigerian importers are unpatriotic to Nigeria because when they pay duty to other countries they deny Nigeria of its dues.

    Ali, who was speaking as the Chief Host at the public presentation of the book “Appraisal of Crime of Smuggling in Nigeria” in Abuja, pointed out that the belief of a typical Nigerian, is that he does not owe his country any obligation.

    “Somebody picked up two cars from Benin Republic, when he landed in Benin he paid every charges, he moved them to Niger, and paid every charges he was supposed to pay.  But those cars were destined for Nigeria. When he now came to Nigeria, he decided to take an unaccustomed route and brought those cars to Nigeria. And when we did apprehend those vehicles the question I asked him was: why are you so unpatriotic, you could pay to Benin Republic, you could pay to Niger, and then coming to your own home, you don’t want to pay? He said the duty was too high,” Ali said.

    He noted that Nigeria cannot make progress in a situation where people are not complying with the law and where all that Nigerians think is how to circumvent the law.

    He commended the author of the book, Musa Omale for not allowing his knowledge, experience and writing skills to die.

    The customs boss noted that the book has made the job of the NCS easier and enjoined all the stakeholders to buy and read it.

    He assured the author that the Nigeria Customs Service will deploy copies of the books to its libraries and commands.

    Speaking with journalists, immediate past president of Association of Nigerian License Customs Agents, Chief Ernest Elochukwu noted that book is an exposure of the dimension of smuggling and the laws that are in place to tackle it.

    He said that the fight against smuggling can also be viewed from other angles like the creation of an enabling environment that does not promote smuggling.

    He said that government can achieve enabling environment by making sensible policies in terms of what it bans and does not ban.

    In his remarks, Omale said that he was motivated to focus on smuggling in his Doctoral research to put his experience as an officer of the NCS for the past 26 years at the disposal of others and to highlight the level of damage being done by smuggling to the economy.

     

  • 99 percent importers evade duty, says Customs boss

    99 percent importers evade duty, says Customs boss

    The Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) Thursday said that 99 per cent of the nation’s importers are non-compliant with the customs duty and charges.

    According to him, the importers are unpatriotic to Nigeria even when they pay duty to other countries they deny theirs its dues.

    Ali, who was speaking as the Chief Host at the public presentation of the book “Appraisal of Crime of Smuggling in Nigeria,” in Abuja, pointed out that the belief of a typical Nigerian, is that he does not owe his country any obligation.

    Narrating his encounter with an importer, who settled all the charges for two cars  in Benin Republic and Niger Republic and evaded Nigeria’s, he said that  “somebody picked up two cars from Benin Republic, when he landed in Benin he paid every charges, he move them to Niger, and paid every charges he is supposed to pay.

    “But those cars are destined for Nigeria. When he now comes to Nigeria, he decided to take an un-costumed route and brought those cars to Nigeria. And when we did apprehend those vehicles the question I asked him is why are you so unpatriotic?

    “You could pay to Benin Republic, you could pay to Niger, and then coming to your own home, you don’t want to pay. He said the duty is too high.

    “And I said then why did you buy the two cars in the first place?  This is the mentality of the Nigerian; he does not believe that he owes anything to his own country.”

    The country, he said, cannot make progress in a situation, where people are not complying with the law and unfortunately, all that Nigerians think is how to circumvent the law.

    He commended the author of the book, Musa Omale for not allowing his knowledge, experience and writing skills to die.

    The customs boss noted that the book has made the job of the NCS easier and enjoined all the stakeholders to buy and read it.

    He assured the author that the Nigeria Customs Service will deploy copies of the books to its libraries and commands.

    Speaking with journalists, immediate past president of Association of Nigerian License Customs Agents, Chief Ernest Elochukwu noted that book is an exposure of the dimension of smuggling and the laws that are in place to tackle it.

    He said that the fight against smuggling can also be viewed from other angles like the creation of an enabling environment that does not promote smuggling.

    This, he said, government can achieve that by making sensible policies in terms of what it bans and does not ban.

    He submitted that “when there is so much of ban in the list of items that could be imported into the country, especially if they are essential items, the issue of smuggling becomes inevitable.”

    Meanwhile, the author said that what motivated him is that he has been in the Customs for past 26 years and as an experience officer about the level of damage of smuggling to the economy and decided to turn his research for PhD on smuggling into a book.