The Customs Area Controller in charge of Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Abubakar Bashir, has said that to ensure 48 hours cargo clearance in the ports, the command has introduced a one-spot examination for cargoes coming into the country through the command.
Compt. Abubakar who said this in a chat with Shipping Position Daily in Apapa, Lagos also said that the command has more than, 1000 Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) even as he added that some of the cargoes have been moved to inland container depots at the hinterlands.
He also explained that due to the introduction of one spot cargo examination, he has cancelled the idea of re-examining of cargo, stressing that he has started engaging stakeholder through meetings to ensure that some of these bottlenecks are addressed.
“I want to achieve a 48 hour clearance of cargo here, I have already ordered that henceforth, one spot examination of cargos must be maintained which is in line with the policy of the Federal Government as well as the management of the Nigeria Customs Service. I have also cancelled the issue of re-examining of any cargo that has already been examined under the one spot examination of cargoes”, he stated.
He also maintained that the duty paid on the cargoes with PAAR has not reflected on the records that the command has, even as he called on fresh importers and other stakeholders to ensure that all PAAR reports issued by the service is well utilized.
“So far we have over 1000 Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), we have not finished sorting them out, but from what we have seen they are over 1000. We realized that some of those PAAR, there cargoes have been moved to other terminals and inland container depots in the hinterlands and they have been cleared there. And unfortunately the duties over there have not reflected in our records here and it is affecting us here ” , he added.
He also lauded the newly-introduced Nigeria Integrated Customs Information Service ( NICIS 2), saying that because of its level of automation, it has helped the command tremendously in realizing its target in the month of August 2018.
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