The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has raised an alarm that its members operating under the Tin Can Island command of Nigeria Customs Service are being made to pay huge demurrage on imported vehicles through the Five Star Logistics Terminal as a result of the failure of the Nigeria Customs Integrated System 2 (NICIS2)
Chairman of ANLCA at Tin Can Chapter; Prince Segun Oduntan told Shipping Position Daily that the NICIIS 2 is failing to recognize or capture any vehicle imported with load inside.
Our correspondent reports that importers usually load other household items including fridges, mattresses, televisions and others in such used vehicles. This is mostly prevalent at the PTML Terminal, also at Tin Can Port.
Oduntan has however charged the Tin Can Customs command to take a cue and learn from the PTML Customs command on how it has been clearing such vehicles under the NICIS 2 without creating untold hardship and demurrage for the clearing agents and importers.
He also lamented that the learning process of the NICIS 2 at the Tin Can Port has been challenging for licensed customs agents as many of them are made to bear the brunt of officers who are still learning the ropes of NICIS 2.
“The customs meant well, implementation at the initial stage is not palatable for now and this is the problem we are facing, it has made my people to be paying demurrages they ought not to, more so, at Five Star Terminal, the NICIS system is not recognizing vehicles carrying loads and how to make payment on the loads some of them carry, we are still trying to harmonize this, and it is part of the problem we are facing”
“We have a challenge with the NICIIS 2 coming up, trying to do the perfection and let people have the knowledge about how it is going to work, the officers have been learning the rope just like when you buy a new car and try to learn the buttons, this is the learning stage of NICIIS and the problem we are facing now”
“The CAC is proactive about it and seeing how to resolve the matter, we cannot allow agents to be paying demurrages, and the controller has given instruction that they have to look into how PTML is operating it”
“If PTML is not having this type of problem, then they (Tin Can) have to learn from them, customs is one body, this is the instruction given by the CAC when we had a meeting with him”
Oduntan also confirmed to our correspondent that the ‘Royalty Charge’ of N121, 565 which was recently introduced by Ports and Cargo Terminal has been cancelled. According to him, the controversial charges were cancelled after ANLCA held a brief meeting with the management of Sifax Group, owners of the terminal.
He commended the Group Vice Chairman of SIFAX Group, Dr. Taiwo Afolabi for cancelling the charge and described him as a man with listening ears.
“I had a meeting with Port and Cargo and they have been magnanimous enough, the chairman has cancelled the charge, we can say thanks to the chairman for having a listening ear”, Oduntan said.
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