52 officers of the Nigeria Customs Service have been dismissed from the service for corruption-related offences.
The shocking revelation came to the fore on Tuesday during a meeting in Abuja between top executives of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and the management of the Nigeria Customs Service.
At the meeting which was meant to address some operations issues between the Customs hierarchy and the leadership of ANLCA, the Comptroller General of Customs; Alhaji Dikko Abdulahi Inde announced the dismissal of the officers.
52 officers of the Nigeria Customs Service have been dismissed from the service for corruption-related offences.
The shocking revelation came to the fore on Tuesday during a meeting in Abuja between top executives of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and the management of the Nigeria Customs Service.
At the meeting which was meant to address some operations issues between the Customs hierarchy and the leadership of ANLCA, the Comptroller General of Customs; Alhaji Dikko Abdulahi Inde announced the dismissal of the officers.
Sources at the meeting hinted that, efforts by the licensed customs agents to plead for leniency on behalf of the dismissed officers fell on deaf ears as the Customs boss reportedly turned down the request.
He also told his guests that the action was meant to be a warning to other officers to either turn a new leaf or get sacked as well.
However, while some were sacked, the Customs CG described the current crop of Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) officers as the best ever, even as he commended them for being professional in their work.
On the issue of indiscriminate alerts, it was agreed that it was necessary to place alert on some imports, whose values are found to be ridiculously low. The alerts are meant to guide field officers in the examination and release of such cargoes.
The customs headquarters was said to have resolved to harmonize the alerts, in such a way that multiple queries on a single entry will be minimized.
Also, arising from delays in cargo clearance, the Customs management agreed to come up with the timing of every process in cargo delivery. This is expected to check corruption in the ports.
On the Customs Pre-Arrival Assessment Report the Customs boss was reported to have insisted that only importers and agents who handle non-compliant cargoes find fault with the operation of PAAR in the ports. He pleaded that everyone should change their ways, up their game and stop complaining about the operations of PAAR.
The meeting was attended by ANLCA’s National Executives, as well as members of the association’s board of trustees.
Maritime Operators Seek NLC, TUC Intervention Over Face-Off With APM Terminals 2
Freight forwarders operating at the nation's seaport have called on the Nigerian Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) as well as government agencies at Federal and state levels to rise and rescue Nigeria from the alleged oppressive tendencies of port concessionaire; APM Terminals.
The appeal was made at a joint press briefing held in Lagos yesterday by the leadership of Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) Association of Registered Freight Forwarders (AREFFN) , Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO) and the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents.
It would be recalled that freight forwarders and truck drivers have since November 3, 2014 embarked on strike at the APM Terminals in Apapa port, over lack of adequate equipment, labour services and obnoxious port charges.
The operators accused the APM Terminal of being responsible for the traffic gridlock on the ports’ access roads, even as they also alleged that the terminal operator is responsible for the hike in the price of goods and commodities at the market.
Speaking at the press briefing, Chairman of ANLCA at Apapa port, Mr. Olumide Fakanlu said that all official letters and appeal made to government in the past to solve the problem had not yielded results.
"We are calling on all relevant government agencies at Federal and State levels, Nigerian Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and others to rise and rescue Nigeria from the hands of these colonial merchants".
"We have withdrawn our services from APM Terminals since 3rd November 2014, but APM Terminals Ltd has remained adamant, making us believe that the company is above Nigeria and our national interest" Fakanlu stated.
Also speaking, Chairman of Apapa chapter of NAGAFF, Mr. Fred Adjuzie said that, if not for the fast track scheme of the Nigeria Customs Service, the situation at the port would have worsened.
He said that the traffic gridlock in Apapa is artificial and that it is caused by APMT. According to him, the terminal handles 42% of containers coming into the country and because of this it has assumed a larger-than-life status.
Some of the allegations further leveled against the terminal was that it could not handle more than 200 containers in a day and that it deliberately delays the booking of containers in order to allow them accrue demurrage.
According to him, "loading of released containers for delivery are also delayed tactically for more storage payments to APMT, while truck drivers are made to be on seat in truck for minimum of 1- hours"
"In addition, APM Terminals delay receiving of empty containers, leading to traffic gridlock all over Lagos despite efforts of Lagos State and Federal Government in bringing sanity to Lagos roads".
The operators alleged that the traffic situation in Lagos benefits APM Terminals as trucks are then turned to empty container holding bay thereby frustrating trade and more storage revenue accrued to the company.
The associations have however said that they might suspend their actions at the moment in order to allow their national leaderships to intervene properly on the crisis.
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