Frank Aliakor (ANLCA)
Frank Aliakor (ANLCA)
In my own opinion the customs has improved in the area of revenue collection which I can say is up to international standard, because it is key for economic growth. Before now there used to be a department of customs called SERVICOM which I will say made the NCS to get international recognition. But as at today, that department is no longer in existence and it is not too good for agents and other customs relations. In a nutshell, I don't think it is proper for the Federal Government to give the NCS annual target, because it will lead to corruption in the system.
Fabian Okafor (NAGAFF Chairman, KLT)
I think they are living up to world standard, because right now the Comptroller General of Customs play a significant role in the World Customs Organisation(WCO) and that will tell you that Nigerian Customs Service is recognised globally. The customs revenue generation is huge and it is comparable with other customs of the world. Though corruption is in the system, but it is applicable to other country as well, even as we speak. The challenges faced by Nigeria customs today makes them better off than customs of the United State of America because if USA customs encounters the problems that our customs are facing, they won’t survive it.
Eniola Odulaja (Stakeholder)
In my own opinion, the NCS has stepped up their games in terms of their operations. It is important to note that the customs plays a major role in international trade; it is a known fact that if the government can support that institution, I think they will perform better. Overall they are improving by the day and it is good for the country.
Anonymous
I think much success has not been recorded by customs, because things are not working as expected. I think with government support they will step up in the area of performance and revenue drive, but there is room for improvement to meet world standard. In the area of e-customs, I think they are gradually getting to the height of international best practices and again corruption is paramount and visible in today's customs operations
Lucky Amiwero (President, NCMDLCA)
In order to determine if our customs are up to standard, we will need to look at all our conventions, there are lots of conventions that Nigeria has not complied with in terms of procedure. So why are you celebrating world customs day? The celebration is all about compliance, have you complied? It’s just like the IMO, what have we done with the conventions? There is something called International customs, it has to do with conventions, nobody discusses revenue again in the custom world, what they discuss is 'practice and procedures, advance ruling, harmonization of polices; that is how you apply your risk assessment and the various conventions you have entered into, it is all about the tools in the customs nomenclature, everything is not all about revenue.
Dr. Fred Adjuzie Nnam (NAGAFF, Apapa Chairman)
I believe that the Nigeria Customs Service are coping with international standards because, now they have taken over from the service providers to ensure that everything is done properly and professionally as it is obtained in other countries of the world. By coming in, they have made us believe that customs is now professional, with the things we are seeing presently, I can tell you that Nigeria Customs are up to international standard. Today, I believe that if you pick a custom man from Nigeria and take him to America, definitely, all he will require is just a little process before he can fit in, but I can tell you he will not have any problem fitting in.
Chukwumalu Emeka (Chairman,Apapa ANLCA Task Force)
I think Nigeria Customs are improving, you can see that we are having PAAR now instead of RAR, even though they are currently having some teething problems, but Rome was not built in a day, they started from somewhere, and I believe that from the way customs are working now, in the next 10 years, I don't think there is anything obtainable internationally that will not be obtained here. In the customs, we have serious officers who are ready to work, and now that they are laying-off the old officers and bringing in new and energetic officers that are experienced, I believe that they will do well. Customs are in-tune internationally because all systems generally are the same, it is all about garbage in, garbage out, once you are familiar with the system; you can operate any system internationally, not minding if you are in American or London.
Charles Igbokei (Chairman, Igbo Maritime Forum, Tin Can)
Nigeria customs are trying, but there is still a little gap compared to customs of other countries, with what I saw at the World Custom Day celebration, I can say they are improving. But I still want the improvement to reflect at the seaports, the ports are not working the way they should and we are having problems at the port, the situation at the port presently is overwhelming. I can't say we are completely lagging behind but we need to improve. We have intelligent men and women among the customs today, I have worked with a few of them and I found out that they are very intelligent; they can fit into customs anywhere in the world.
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