The National President of Association of Nigeria licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu has alleged that some of the government agencies that were ordered out of the nation’s seaports in 2011 are back to Tin Can Island Port on the orders of the Customs Area Controller of the command, Isah Nuhu.
ANLCA President disclosed this yesterday during his visit to the Customs Area Controller of Tin Can Island Port Command, Compt. Isah Nuhu as part of his working tour of the port chapter of the association.
The National President of Association of Nigeria licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu has alleged that some of the government agencies that were ordered out of the nation’s seaports in 2011 are back to Tin Can Island Port on the orders of the Customs Area Controller of the command, Isah Nuhu.
ANLCA President disclosed this yesterday during his visit to the Customs Area Controller of Tin Can Island Port Command, Compt. Isah Nuhu as part of his working tour of the port chapter of the association.
But the Customs Area Controller (CAC) denied the allegation, but told the visitors that he only informed his officers not to release any regulated product without inviting agency concerned.
Prince Shittu who itemised the various challenges confronting customs licensed agents in the course of carrying out their lawful cargo clearance at Tin Can Island Port, also informed the area controller that security agencies that were ordered by the government to leave the ports in 2011 had returned to the port allegedly on the instructions of the CAC via a letter to return to the port and participate in examination.
He, never-the-less assured the Customs boss that his members would do the right thing at all times to ensure trade facilitation in the ports, therefore called for a cordial relationship between customs and agents.
The challenges, according to Prince Shittu, include low capacity of scanning machine, interruption of valuation by CIU officers, constant breakdown of server between Customs Processing Unit and terminals, lateness of officers to duty, lack of space in the terminals thus leading to rerouting of cargo among others.
He told the Customs boss that all these challenges identified by his members are hindering trade facilitation, and called on Compt. Nuhu to address the problems, even as he commended the Controller for his exemplary leadership which has brought about improvement, said CIU had taken over the job of the valuation thus causing delay in cargo clearance.
According to Shittu, scanners of service providers do not have the capacity to cope with the volume of cargo of the port and there is constant breakdown of server connection between CPU and terminals.
Responding, Comptroller Nuhu, who had earlier commended Shittu and members of his administration for striving to bring about professionalism, said there is no CIU officer is empowered to reject valuation even if the value is wrong.
What he should do, according to the CAC, is to confirm from the valuation not to give his own, enjoining agents who find themselves in this situation to draw his attention into the matter.
Saying the existence of the agencies from the ports is for good, Nuhu admitted that some officers do not come to work on time but promised to prosecute any officer caught coming to work late.
On the breakdown of server, Nuhu maintained that it is not breakdown of server but connectivity between CPU and terminals, promising to look into the problem if it is persisted.
Discussion about this post