Customs Incorporate EFCC, ICPC, Shippers’ Council In Auction Exercise

The Zonal Coordinator of Zone `A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Assistant Comptroller-General Eporwei Edike said that the service had included other government agencies in its auction exercise.
Edike stated this in an interview with newsmen in Lagos, even as he explained that the service took the measure to reform the auction exercise and make it more transparent.
He said that the Comptroller-General of Customs, Retired Col. Hameed Ali, had established a committee that would oversee the auction processes.
“The auction operation will no longer be the affairs of Operation and Enforcement unit of the service alone because the Customs boss had included many regulatory agencies in the exercise.
“Those agencies include: the National Assembly, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA).
“Also included are the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Importers’ Association and so on,’’ Edike said.
Meanwhile, Mr Edike has lamented that the 48 hours cargo clearance of goods cannot be achieved except floodlights and security are put in place in and out of the terminals.
Edike made this known last week in Lagos during his visit to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council headquarters.
The ACG recalled that during his tenure as area controller in charge of Tin Can Island command ,officers of the unit were ready to embark on 24hours operation, but added that the freight agents were never forthcoming.
He disclosed further that at a point the service had pleaded with the concessionaires to put flood lights at the terminals to engage round-the-clock operations, but lamented that clearing agents refused to turn up and clear the cargoes out of the ports.
Edike stated that since port gates are opened 24 hours a day, there is need for freight agents to clear their goods under 48hours, but he acknowledged the operators maintained that lack of security at night posed a serious danger to carry such transaction at night.
The former Area Controller for Apapa and Tin Can Island pointed out that for trade facilitation to be effective in Nigerian ports , there is need for freight agents to key into night operations.
“We tried 24 hours a day and 7 days a week operations, our officers were ready, but agents were not coming ”
“We also pleaded that all the terminal operators should put in place floodlights, so that we can examine containers both day and night”
Speaking on some the challenges that hinder night operations, Edike added that “agents complained about the level of security in ports and outside the ports”