The Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it can prepare the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) to facilitate cargo clearance within six hours.
PAAR is an electronic clearing platform where importers or their agents submit documents stating the quantity and value of the goods being imported before their arrival.
The Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it can prepare the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) to facilitate cargo clearance within six hours.
PAAR is an electronic clearing platform where importers or their agents submit documents stating the quantity and value of the goods being imported before their arrival.
The Area Controller of the command, Folorunsho Adegoke, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Friday that PAAR was introduced by the Federal Government in December 2013 to replace the Risk Assessment Report (RAR) system of cargo clearance.
RAR was replaced because it was found to have been time-consuming as it delayed the clearance of cargo for a minimum of two weeks.
He said: “PAAR regime is not a problem here. I pioneered the project; the time is less than six, seven hours.
“When you submit your document, under six hours, the PAAR is ready.
“Most times, once you submit your document, for example for the multi-nationals, all those public companies, their PAARs are generated automatically.
“It is almost immediately; if you submit your document by 11, before 12 the PAAR must have been registered.
“The problem we have with our importing populace is that majority of them are non-compliant.
“Somebody will go to China to bring consignment in a seaport of about 15 tons, he will tell you that FOB used – that is the cost of goods used is about maybe 1,000 dollars.
“Whereas, the freight charge for container is about 6, 000 dollars; how can you go and buy with 1,000 and freight with 6,000 dollars? so most of them are not honest.
“The idea of trade facilitation is for honest traders. Dishonest traders should be made to face full weight of the law; but if you are honest under two hours, your PAAR would be ready.
“We have a data bank that is rich, is robust, is rich enough and when you talk of transaction value, we have six methods of valuations.
“If your transaction fails, then you go to the next one which is the value of identical products, because you are not likely to be the first person that would bring that product.
“If that one fails again, you have value of similar product and so many others.
“There are six of them. As one fails, you go to the next one, the next one, until you get to the final one.“
The controller said that a team comprising the officials of both the State Security Service and the Customs had been set up to work at the international wing of the airport to monitor compliance with PAAR and to check money laundering and evaluate currency declaration by passengers.
He said: “When they (passengers) declare, they (the officials) try to find out. Once the money is more than 10, 000 dollars, they will look at the person, look at his or her passport and other issues.
“They will arrest and transfer it to EFCC because we provide the logistics for them. EFCC will now make up its mind whether to allow the passenger to travel or not.
“A passenger that has all the information as regards his or her source will be allowed to go.
“I am aware of a particular passenger. He had the receipt of purchase of the money from a Bureau de Change.
“There is no law that says people should not go out with money. The only thing is that if it is more than 10, 000 dollars, you must declare it.“
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