Customs lauds NAGAFF on 10-Point Compliance Agenda

Customs lauds NAGAFF on 10-Point Compliance Agenda

Segun Oladipupo

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has lauded the ten-point agenda of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) 100% Compliance team.

The team received the commendation when it visited the Rivers state command of the service in continuation of its nationwide Sensitization tour,

NAGAFF 100% Compliance Team has recorded another milestone in its bid to sensitize, solicit support and synergise with relevant government agencies in the Maritime Industry.

The team visited the Customs Onne Seaport and Area 1 Commands intimating the officers of their 10-point Agenda and their efforts to educate its members on total compliance with extant rules and regulations on International trade.

The command’s Customs Area Controller, Comptroller A.B Mohammed, expressed profound joy with the visit and the content of their 10-point agenda even as he remarked that articles 1-5 of the Agenda conform to the mantra of clearance procedure at the port.

His words, ”Since my assumption of office here as Area Controller, we have tried to maintain and improve on the structure of clearing procedures here at Onne port and from what I can see, articles 1-5 of your 10-point Agenda are as if we have met before this came up”.

The Controller pledged the support of his Command to the realization of the 10-point agenda of the 100% Compliance Team ably led by Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko.

He pointed out that True and proper declaration of imports is their watchword and called on Freight Forwarders to advise their importers to disclose to them the actual content in the container to avoid delay and seizure.

On article 7 of the 10-point Agenda which says ‘To protect the interest of Freight Forwarders in Disputes’, he said, ”that statement is sensitive because an adverb is missing there. When you people protect the interest of the freight forwarder, it must be in line with the legitimate procedure.

“Once the freight forwarder had done the right thing and then we are delaying him or giving him an unnecessary DN, yes you can protect him, but whereas maybe by virtue of his cargo, the DN is high and you come to say no, this is too high, you have to lower the DN, that protection will not be accommodated. But once it is within the limit of the extant laws, we will do our best”.

”One thing with NAGAFF, I came to know and relate with NAGAFF as far back 8 years when I was a young officer. NAGAFF was the first set of the associations to agitate for Customs Autonomy. Wherever you meet a member of NAGAFF, you see him reformed and refined. He will argue with you tactically. They are well enlightened. And when we work with that makes the job very easy for us. I think if other associations will behave like NAGAFF members, I think we will further move the Industry forward in clearing procedure.”

The Onne Port Customs Area Controller however assured the NAGAFF 100% Compliance Team of their maximum support while appealing to the Executives not to approach him for cancellation of DN without strong reason.

Speaking earlier, the National Coordinator of NAGAFF 100% Compliance Team, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko said the Team was not only established to assist Nigeria Customs Service to achieve its revenue generation , but to educate freight forwarders on the need to play by the rules and to impress on importers to make honest declarations, ensure 100% examinations of Cargo as well

According to him, ” Every seizure made by Customs in the port is attributed to the wrongdoing of the Freight Forwarders. resulting to the attendant loss of revenue.

”WE have decided to address the issue, to see how we can make amends to ensure that infractions being recorded against our name are reduced to the barest minimum as we cannot totally eliminate crime, ‘Tanko opined.

At the Area 1 of Customs Command, the 100% Compliance Team informed the Area Comptroller, Yusuf Garuba of the Team’s effort at enlightening the Freight Forwarders of the need to comply with the rules and to make honest declarations which will in turn increase the revenue of government.

The National Coordinator of the Compliance Team, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko therefore appealed to Customs to see them as partners in progress by giving them maximum support in order to realize their 10-point agenda to the benefit of all and the Industry at large.

The CAC, Area 1, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Comptroller Yusuf Garuba expressed happiness with the establishment of the body which will help them achieve more revenue to the federal government and pledged the Commands unflinching support to them.