There is palpable tension at the PTML Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, as the Nigeria Customs Service announced that it will no longer be business as usual, between it and clearing agents, especially in the areas of revenue collection and security.
To drive home the point, the Area Controller of PTML command; Mrs Isa Tallatu recently held a closed door meeting with leadership of the associations where she told them that that there would no longer be free access into the terminal.
There is palpable tension at the PTML Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, as the Nigeria Customs Service announced that it will no longer be business as usual, between it and clearing agents, especially in the areas of revenue collection and security.
To drive home the point, the Area Controller of PTML command; Mrs Isa Tallatu recently held a closed door meeting with leadership of the associations where she told them that that there would no longer be free access into the terminal.
Some of the agents who were aggrieved told Shipping Position Daily that the customs have announced to them that it would no longer compromise on vehicle clearance.
The aggrieved agents lamented that under the old regime of Dikko Inde Abdullahi, officers are allowed to use their discretion on the clearance of the vehicles, but that with the appointment of Col Hameed Ali (rtd), the service has declared that there would be total revenue collection.
"All vehicles will have to pay full duty and every item inside would equally be charged. We even heard that they are now to be issuing us very high and unbearable values, all in the name of collecting revenue" one of the clearing agents said.
Spokesperson for ANLCA at the PTML Chapter; Mr. Gani Adeola however confirmed to our correspondent after the recent meeting with the Customs Area Controller that, the new security screening is because Customs got intelligence reports that the dreaded Boko Haram terrorists have entered into Lagos and customs does not want to be caught unawares.
He said that subsequently, Customs officers had gone ahead to harass agents and stopped them from carrying out their legitimate activities.
"Customs is trying to beef up security because of the information about Boko Haram entering Lagos, this environment is very sensitive because of the tank farms, if there is any explosion, the whole area will go off"
"What customs did was to control the crowd entering their command"
"Agents are hearing from the other side that customs are trying to increase their duty but this is not yet official. For now, there is no increment"
"As a roll on roll off car port, we are expecting customs to bring down their duty because our port is dry, the auto policy has led to lack of patronage. The campaign of Buhari is that he will reduce duty".
Also speaking with Shipping Position Daily, Deputy National President of National association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) Ugochukwu Nnadi said that Customs have decided to strictly enforce the provisions of the auto policy.
"New vehicles that have not covered 3000 miles or 5000kilometers and have not spent up to one year must pay levy, it is part of the auto policy it has been there all along, it is not a new law, it is not just on 2015 cars, but also on 2016 vehicles"
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