ANLCA blames drop in importation to Customs’ high handedness

Segun Oladipupo

The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents(ANLCA) has decried recent drop in imported goods by fifty percent into the country which it ascribed to high handedness of the management of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS)

The group raised the alarm at the National Executive Council meeting in Lagos on Tuesday.

The National President, Chief Tony Iju Nwabunike said there was urgent need for the NECOM to seek audience with the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Finance before things get out of hand.

His words, “Members of the NEC, the recent event where the Customs has unilaterally jerked up value of 40 footers to Three Million (3,000,000) has vindicated us and we are all living witnesses to the aftermath of this

” There is urgent need for the members of the NECOM to seek audience with the Federal Government, through the Federal Ministry of Finance before things get out of hand.

“The level of importation has dropped drastically by about fifty percent (50%) lately as a result of this high handedness by the present management of NCS.

“NEC should immediately call for the reorganization of the Nigeria Customs Management team to revamp the ailing economy of our nation or better still, we advise the Federal Government to shop for a vast, trained seasoned officers to lead the Service out of the present quagmire.

“The 2021 World Bank logistics Performance Index is a pointer to the fact that this present management team lacks idea, the professional and technical knowledge to move our economy forward. Every developing nation like ours has continued to utilize the COVID-19 backlash positively to move their economy forward.

“We also insisted that, the management should give us the Standard Operating Procedure that will be used on implementation and operations of the newly acquired Scanners machine before it is bastardized.

“We noticed the one release about few hours ago and our Policy and Strategic committee is hereby mandated to study it and report back to the NECOM,” he stated.

Speaking further, Nwabunike decried the harsh policies of the Service, saying they have had negative impacts on the economy of Nigeria

According to him, this is so because of its arm twisting of Nigerian importers to generate revenue only.

“NCS management team has shown with all her policies not to be a professional institution,hence the ailing economy will continue to be in comatose, this is courtesy of her intention to only generate revenue, arm twist Nigeria importers by slamming them with frivolous demand notices and arbitrary jack up of pre-arrival, assessment reports (PAAR) indiscriminately which negates all international and National Regulations like GAAT, Article Vii and Valuation Act 20 of 2003, respectively.”