Sir John Ofobike (Coordinator, Western Zone, ANLCA)
Sir John Ofobike (Coordinator, Western Zone, ANLCA)
PAAR is working very well, it is something that is barely one year old and they have achieved much success, we must accept that what is good is good, the service providers were not more qualified that customs. And again people keep asking why should customs query PAAR, it is the document you gave to them that they use to give you PAAR, but it is the man on the field that can tell you if your PAAR is correct, the PAAR is not a final document, if it is not accurate then they give you the appropriate duty to pay, we should just accept that we have got this right.
Segun Musa (Chairman, NAGAFF Airport)
Freight forwarding is supposed to have gone beyond where we are now, but unfortunately the Nigeria Customs Service has held us back, the major challenge we have is the inconsistency in government policy, especially those being formulated through the Customs, First of all, the PAAR is an illegal document, when they came up with the PAAR regime, we were made to understand that it is coming because RAR was just an advisory note and that we need an indigenous document, but unfortunately, what we are having now is worse than RAR in the sense that the customs that issue the PAAR still goes ahead to query it and say the value is low, the same thing PAAR is doing now was what RAR was offering us. So why did we move away from it? And again, the PAAR is indigenous and therefore should be free, the 1% CISS collection should be stopped forthwith, it is criminal.
Chief Goodluck Onunji (Chairman, NAGAFF PTML)
I will say PAAR is a success in the sense that, both the importers and government are now benefiting from it. I can say government is now generating more money from PAAR because it facilitates trade, almost all our importers now understand the system of PAAR and the documentary side of it. I would say that we have achieved 75 percent success of PAAR. Coming to the time factor, it saves time unlike before now when we had RAR, back then it was so hard to clear your job at the port, but now within 48 hours your job is cleared without stress, I believe that by next year everyone will master it and it will make a very huge gain, also, all the stakeholders, including customs, the government and everyone at the port will benefit from it.
Akpu Obasi Pius (Freight Forwarder, PTML)
PAAR has been a success, before now we had RAR which made jobs very difficult to be cleared in the port, sometimes, our jobs will be held for days and weeks, but when PAAR was introduced, everything changed, when you go through the normal process, within 24 hours your goods will be cleared from the port, the whole process begins from the bank, from there you go to the customs, PAAR is moving well, it is a success to those who had gone through the right process of goods declaration, and I believe in the future we would benefit more.
Thomas Alor (Freight Forwarder)
The problem we are having with the PAAR is that they fail to notice the little mistakes and lapses, customs have failed in gathering information from the association, and they have also failed in putting things in order thereby trying to cover up some certain mistakes on their part. But I must say that since PAAR came, there have been drastic changes in the port. For example, when you want to clear your job, you have to go through the bank then to the customs, secondly there is a value which will be given to you and so on, but here the customs are trying to inflate it for pecuniary reasons and this is making it very difficult for us. I am not saying the PAAR is not a success, but with all those mistakes and lapses, there should be corrections so our jobs can be cleared with ease.
Chief Eugene Nweke (NAGAFF President)
PAAR regime remains a capable modern trade facilitation tool that is compliant to international best practice, hereby requiring that some of the issues during the RAR era have been addressed squarely. The provision of at least two weeks to conclude all documentation processes before vessel arrival is unbeatable, if diligent efforts and honesty is applied in all facets of international transactions and clearance procedures within the customs ports. I implore the service to fast track the full integration and automation process, linking critical stakeholders on the platform, while shipping companies and terminal operators are equally advised to follow suit, this will further reduce the incidences of human contact to cargo.
Frank Aliakor (ANLCA)
PAAR is supposed to be successful, but the problem we are having now is calling it an advisory document when it is not. PAAR is gradually coming out as expected. The area of alert is the area we are having challenges with PAAR and once the issue of alert is removed then we can say PAAR is a success.
Mr Quadri Gbolahon (Stakeholder)
The concept is a very good idea, but some people are there to thwart the effort and successes of PAAR. PAAR is to assist trade facilitation and bring about professionalism and international best practices, but there are some challenges associated with it at the moment which is normal in any concept created by man, therefore PAAR has come to stay.
Prince Olayiwola Shittu (ANLCA President)
PAAR is working as we speak, but people had said initially that it will not work, but we all know that it has recorded some level of success. The scheme has also helped in the area of security at the port and I am calling on stakeholders to support PAAR, it has fared better so far even though it had some challenges at the initial stage. PAAR has become a reality in freight forwarding practice, and the agents still need to be educated about the scheme. You will agree with me that revenue generation by the service has been tremendous since the regime found its footing.
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