New Telegraph

Customs battles agencies over clearing challenges

The Nigeria Customs Service has shifted blames on all agencies operating at the borders and seaports over illegal checkpoints, duplication of tables and multiple signatures, which have affected clearing at the borders and seaports, BAYO AKOMOLAFE reports

 

 

Worried by complaints among importers and exporters using Nigerian ports and land borders, the House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise has asked the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks crippling trade facilitation.

The committee explained that NCS was complicating the process through unnecessary duplication of functions through various administrative channels instead of full automation and use of technology.

 

For instance, Deputy Chairman of the committee, Mukhtar Ahmed, said in Abuja at an interactive session with NCS officials that the committee had made its investigation and discovered the many sections allegedly created by Customs to bring unnecessary delays.

 

Ahmed added that there were many desks created by the Service currently hampering smooth flow of documents and delay in the clearing and discharge of containers from the Nigerian seaports.

 

Bottleneck

He noted: “You have the CAC’s office, it will go to Deputy Controller (DC), admin, Deputy Controller (DC), revenue and Officerin- Charge (OC), bond, who they will refer you to, it will go to bond office, that is where to input bond number.

 

“Then we have manifest seat, you have technical supervisor capture on IMD, the assistant technical supervisor who reroute the declaration, depending on where it is going.

“Then you have fast track for releasing documents, you have DC compliance or whatever, then, you have DC enforcement, OC tagging, CIU, APMT for generating exit, staff officer for printing,

 

OC main gate for approval and finally you have exit station at the main gate. “We sent five different people to go, and the only place they did not agree is at the exit. But every other step is followed like that.

 

Now, if you have an automated system, the way you are mentioning that you have an automated system, even these six, you don’t need it.”

 

The deputy chairman said that there was no reason documents should be moving from table to another if the system was automated online, saying only one copy of Form M was needed instead of six, if the system had been automated.

 

However, Chairman of the committee, Leke Abejide, charged NCS to be proactive and adopt measures to leverage technology to improve on their operations.

 

He said that the amendment of the Nigeria Customs and Excise Act (CEMA) was on course and that when it comes into effect, would address the shortcomings and challenges facing NCS.

Reacting, the Assistant Comptroller General (ACG), Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Aliyu Sa’idu, said that the Customs automation on their system was being fully automated and would reduce or eliminate the current concerns on their operations.

 

Sa’ idu said: “Our target is to facilitate trade. It may interest you to note, even though we Nigerians don’t appreciate.

 

“Of all the almost 200 member nations of World Customs Organisation (WCO), only 14 were adjudged to have simplified clearance procedure and the Nigeria Customs happened to be one. “I was a DC revenue and in APM for many years, and I stand to be challenged.

 

No, importer, no declarer will ever say he followed his process to my office, either at APM or at DC revenue. Mine was purely supervisory.”

 

At Seme border, NCS also explained that other sister agencies such as Nigerian Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, Port Health, Federal Road Safety Corps, among others, were responsible for the duplication of checkpoints along the Badagry- Seme road, thereby frustrating trade facilitation.

 

For instance, the Service complained that not less than 30 checkpoints were mounted between Agbara in Badagry and Seme Border.

 

Allegation

According to Seme Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Muhammed Bello Jibo, Agbara and Gbaji are the only two approved checkpoints along the axis, saying that every other one is illegal.

 

The comptroller absorbed his officers from such illegal act, saying that no officer goes out without his knowledge.

 

He explained: Taskforces have been set up to dismantle the checkpoints at various times, but like a bad rash, these agencies reappear after two days and continue to extort motorists.

 

“I am the chairman of all the security agencies along this axis and every of the meetings we hold here always centers on the checkpoints.

 

“There was a time I saw some trucks that were stopped on the road by other agencies, I came down and met them to release the trucks because they were cleared genuinely, if they have any doubts, they should come to the command.

 

Illegal check points

 

“Before I came in, there was  a taskforce set up to ensure that these illegal checkpoints do not exist; it was headed by an army colonel.

 

“When I took over, I realised that they were not doing what I wanted. I formed another team headed by an airforce officer and we gave him the permission to go out and dismantle any illegal checkpoint along the roads, some of the checkpoints were burnt down and officials driven away.”

 

He explained that there was no way a Customs team could venture out on illegal checkpoints or patrol without my notice, saying that Customs had told the leaders of the agencies to be accountable for them.

 

Jibo stressed the need for removal of all the illegal checkpoints, adding that Customs duty was to ensure trade facilitation.

 

Last line

 

There is the need by the National Assembly to amend Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) in order to address the shortcomings and challenges faced by importers and NCS during trade facilitation.

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