Olomu Assures Compliant Traders of 24Hrs Cargo Time Release

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

The Customs Area Controller of Apapa Command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu has assured that compliant traders who engage honestly in their cargo clearance processes have no reason not to enjoy 24 hours release of their cargo, noting that the command has the capacity to scan 200 containers on a daily basis.

Compt. Olomu in a group photograpgh with the WTO delegation and stakeholders after the session

Making the declaration when he received a World Bank delegation and Trade Facilitation Committee led by the Minister of Industries, Trade and Investment, Doris Uzoka-Anite in his office, said the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) is committed to supporting economic development through trade facilitation.

He however noted that while facilitating trade, the command under his watch will continue to ensure that no import impede the national security or seek to circumvent the due process.

Speaking further, Olomu explained that trade facilitation has enjoyed innovative windows through various programmes designed to fast track trade facilitation with tools such the Authoirised Economic Operator(AEO) under the close supervision of the incumbent CGC, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.

In line with World Trade Organization (WTO) directive, Olomu said the NCS has also embarked on another tool known as Advance Ruling, which he said is intended to quicken cargo clearance process as well as strengthen the ongoing regime of Time Release Study.

On digitisation, the Controller said customs modernisation is on track and that the command is linked to 50 bonded terminals operating under it. This is even as he explained that the Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS II) platform has since integrated other government agencies into its portal.

Speaking on the command’s joint examination, Olomu said other agencies like National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria(SON), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) , Nigeria Police, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), Department of State Service (DSS) and others upon invitation, all always part of the single process initiated by the service.

Meanwhile, the Command Deputy Comptroller in charge of Revenue, DC Wale Adenuga and a Chieftain of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents(ANLCA) Seyi Adebiyi, in separate presentations during an interactive session, blamed APMT for port users inability to access efficient services.

According to Adenuga, while the customs scanning seat is  fully equipped to scan an average of 200 containers daily, with an average of  three minutes to scan each container, he lamented that APMT only positions between 100 and 120 containers per day; thereby under utilising customs capacity to examine more boxes for quicker cargo clearance and avoidance of associated monetary penalties.

The DC Revenue added that the NCS automation has improved greatly  with prospects of more development to improve trade at the port.

On his part, Adebiyi alleged that the delays attributed to APMT are deliberate and self serving as the company makes money from importers and agents through demurrages charged on the delays and limited timing associated with container positioning for examination, which is between 11am and 3pm on week days.

Other principal officers of the command during the meeting

He said, “For the stakeholders in Apapa, we have a position and the position is that we want to do business devoid of conflict and confrontation. We don’t want any form of industrial action. However, we also expect the government to help us because they are the owners of the port, they only rented it to APMT.

“We hope the government prevails on them so that they can do the needful. They have other operations in other countries in Africa and in the world, they should give the very best of service. I know some other terminals that are doing very well and they work with time to deliver cargoes. I know that APMT can deliver, because they have the infrastructure to deliver”, he said.

Representative of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment at the meeting, Dr Brenda Max-Nduagube  commended the Apapa Customs Command for its trade facilitation efforts and called for its sustenance.

Leader of the World Bank team, Aleksander Stojanor said the team is in Nigeria to ascertain the level of trade facilitation processes and advise the government on possible ways to improve. Stojanor said their team is going round to interact with government and private sector players in trade adding that his team will be guided by information received.

Addressing reporters shortly after the meeting Olomu said “Trade facilitation is key to whatever we are doing in the Nigeria Customs Service and according to the WCO, the trade facilitation is a core of what we do as a service.

“I have always believed that with trade facilitation, we can leverage on our revenue generation ability because when you facilitate trade, that is when we can talk about generating revenue. We see trade facilitation as a tool towards generation of more revenue for government.

“What we are taking out of this engagement is that we need to continuously engage other stakeholders, regulatory and security agencies. There is no end to engagement, we can only get better and better.”

On the allegation against APMT, Olomu said, “APMT people are not here to defend themselves and I want to believe that the committee would meet them and when they meet, I am sure that they will be able to address some of these complaints.

Waxing philosophical, he adds, “It won’t be good to shave a man’s hair behind him.”