With PAAR, We Cannot Achieve 48hour Cargo Clearance-------IFFA

A group; International Freight Forwarders Association (IFFA) which comprises of some eminent players in the freight forwarding sector, has warned the Federal Government that the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) being operated by the Nigeria Customs Service will truncate the 48 hours cargo clearance goal of government at Nigerian ports.

The IFFA is a networking and pressure group which drew members from the various freight forwarding associations with the aim of tackling freight forwarding operational challenges.

At the end of the election of the association in Lagos last Wednesday, its newly-elected president; Dr. Sam Onyemelikwe told Shipping Position Daily that there is no difference between the Risk Assessment Report (RAR) operated by service provider and the PAAR being operated by the customs.

He said that the failures of the PAAR have further exposed the Nigeria Customs Service as an organization that is working at cross purposes.

Onyemelikwe lamented that, continuous querying of a PAAR that has just been issued by a customs officer is like making a mockery of the PAAR itself.

"If we are talking of 48 hours cargo clearance, with the PAAR system, we may find it difficult"

"I remember during the time of Mustapha as a CG, we used to have 24 hours cargo clearance, Customs can do all documentation and await the cargo to arrive, as soon as the cargo arrives today, they examine what it carries the next day and they release it, so the issue of PAAR is something we will rub minds on because I don't believe in confrontation but I need to let them know where to get it better".

"PAAR is not different from RAR and the essence of PAAR is one percent FOB, the problem of PAAR has even exposed the customs showing that they are working at cross purposes; otherwise why should a department of customs create PAAR and another department will query it and give debit notice, all these have made mockery of PAAR".

The new IFFA President lamented lack of communication between the Federal Government and maritime industry operators, especially as regards the formulation and implementation of policies.

He said that the IFFA as a body of stakeholders is not unmindful of the operational problems that operators are having in the industry, stating that the association will create a member support technical services group which the mandate of looking into the problems with a view to address them.

"This is a platform for networking and we want to work together with other stakeholders in this sector to make it a hub in West Africa, we cannot do it alone so we need a synergy".

Also speaking with our correspondent, Chairman , Board of Trustees of the group; Chief Peter Obi pointed out that the IFFA is not a freight forwarding body but rather, a pressure group designed to fight for the influential personalities in the freight forwarding sector.

Obi however assured that it is not a parallel body to the Maritime Advocacy and Action Group (MAAG) which was floated recently to tackle industry challenges. He said that even though IFFA has existed in the industry for years, it had been docile and now is to bring back its glory.

Peter Obi announced the newly-elected executives of the group which included the President, Dr. Sam Onyemelikwe, Vice president, Chief Dom Obi, Secretary General is David Kanikwu Chucks; the Treasurer is Barrister Ada Akpunonu.

Other members of the group include: Chairman of FANO Bonded Terminal, Chief Damian Obianigwe, ANLCA chieftains; Chief Ozo Chukwura and Chief John Ofobike, President of AREFFN, Dr. Frank Ukor, frontline freight forwarder, Dr. Sam Okeke, Chief David Okutalikwe and Chief Teddy Ifezue.