No Benchmark for General Cargo at Tin Can – CAC

Abiodun Oba        I         

The Customs Area Controller of Tin Can Port Customs Command, Comptroller Baba Abdullahi Musa, has declared, that there is no benchmark set for general cargo clearance at Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, Nigeria.

He said that what was being termed as benchmarking is the technical application of the risk management tools to some cargoes that are suspicious in value, quantity and classification, which ultimately affects the final duty paid.

The Customs boss, according to the statement, made the declaration when the acting President and Vice President of ANLCA, Prince Kayode Farinto led other top officials of the association on a fact-finding mission to the controller.

The CAC said such cargoes were then subjected to further interrogation and examination/inspection, to determine the actual duty to be paid.

Comptroller passionately appealed to the visitors and members of the trading community to be compliant in their declarations, as this is bound to improve the revenue accruing to the national purse, as well as guarantee trade facilitation.

Musa said that the establishment of a one-stop shop centre was part of initiatives to resolve the issues of multiple alerts/disputes at the terminal during examination to ease cargo clearance

The CAC said that the command also initiated a process whereby cargo movements within the terminals would be monitored on a large screen mounted at the entrance to the Dispute Resolution Centre (DRC).

Musa added that the idea would be replicated at various points within the port and has officers from all units that may be raising alerts on cargoes, as members.

He noted that the DRC would also incorporate Headquarters System Audit Alert, in order to ensure a quick resolution of issues arising from the examination of suspected cargoes.

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