The Customs Area Controller (CAC) in charge of the PTML Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr. Adegoke Folorunsho has said that the command cannot do without the support of its stakeholders, even as he confirmed that the command enjoys a smooth relationship with its public.
The command has also explained that it has been unable to hold the usual monthly stakeholders’ meeting due to the power tussle in one of the freight forwarding associations; National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA).
The Customs Area Controller (CAC) in charge of the PTML Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr. Adegoke Folorunsho has said that the command cannot do without the support of its stakeholders, even as he confirmed that the command enjoys a smooth relationship with its public.
The command has also explained that it has been unable to hold the usual monthly stakeholders’ meeting due to the power tussle in one of the freight forwarding associations; National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA).
A cross section of the operators at the command had lamented to our correspondent at the command in Lagos on Monday that they were being snubbed by the Controller because he had refused to call for a stakeholders’ meeting since he assumed duty at the command.
But speaking in an exclusive interview with Shipping Position Daily in his office yesterday, PTML Customs Controller, Mr. Folorunsho Adegoke stated that the command had already met with executives of all the freight forwarding associations operating at the command, even as he said that a larger stakeholders’ meeting has already been fixed for tomorrow (Thursday).
Speaking further he said; “Can we work without them? Everything we are doing is for them, already we had fixed a meeting for Thursday, I held a meeting with them yesterday, and a lot of them were present, so I don’t know why they will go back and say I snubbed them”.
He also debunked allegations that the command was issuing double values for cargoes cleared at the command. According to him, the command has its valuation laws and guidelines which have also been made available to some of the stakeholders.
He said that everything done at the command is within the ambit of the laws of the Nigeria Customs Service.
Comptroller Adegoke also urged freight forwarders to embrace modernization and ICT, saying that the business of customs brokerage has gone global and those who are not ICT-compliant cannot fit in.
“The business of clearing is undergoing reforms and it is only ICT compliant agents that can take advantage of the present modernization, with a click of button you can decode the right value from what an officer is issuing to you”, he advised.
“The issue of value is a customs headquarters thing and the issue of tariff is a Federal Government issue, so there is nothing anybody can do about it, computer has modernized a lot of things and you need to comply in order to be able to enjoy modernization” he said.
Also speaking with Shipping Position Daily, the image maker of the PTML Customs Command, Mr. Steve Okonmah confirmed that the customs boss had held meetings with executives of the associations operating at the command.
Okonmah however revealed that the monthly stakeholders’ meeting of the command has been delayed due to the power tussle in the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA).
“We are avoiding a situation where a fight will break out at the meeting because the association has two factions which has been coming forward; the Lucky Amiwero faction and Festus Ejiofor faction”, he explained.
According to him, previous meetings were attended by the Amiwero faction of the association but recently, the Festus Ejiofor faction had come forward with a court judgment and laying claim to the office.
Okonmah said that the command will however be holding its meeting with stakeholders on Thursday and that it will no longer recognize any of the factions until they resolve their differences.
“We have our own legal adviser and we have submitted the documents presented to us by both parties in order for us to know who to deal with among them, but in the main time, we have decided to hold our meeting without any of them” Okonmah said.
Discussion about this post