PTML Customs Boss Assures Port Users of Trade Facilitation, Regular Dialogue

BY GBOGBOWA GBOWA

Comptroller Suleman Bomai has reassured all port users at Ports Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) of regular facilitation of legitimate trade, constant dialogue and prompt dispute resolution.

Bomai who gave this hint at his maiden meeting with sister government agencies, private sector operators including freight forwarders and representative of Grimaldi, the terminal operator, urged importers and their agents to embrace voluntary compliance.

The Command Public Relations Officer, SC Muhammad Yakubu in a statement quoted Bomai as saying that the newly introduced fast track 2.0 being put in place by the management of Nigeria Customs Service is designed to assist compliant businesses to grow and in the long run build a robust economy.

He explained further that such innovations would help manufacturers take delivery of their imported raw materials from the ports to their factories ahead of duty payment and other clearing formalities.

While commending Grimaldi for ensuring high level security and safety of the PTML terminal, the new customs chief described licensed customs agents and freight forwarders as great contributors to national coffers, at a time attention is high on none oil sources of revenue.

Bomai also described sister government agencies as strategic partners even as he identified members of the business community using PTML Port as strategic stakeholders that deserve to be treated with dignity.

His words:  “Stakeholder meetings with our strategic partners and stakeholders are now part of our responsibility, as mandated by the Customs headquarters and by the CGC. The strategic stakeholders are the Customs agents and others that are involved in the supply chain, and the strategic partners are the government agencies that are teaming up with us in the supply chain, which is very critical for us if we want to move this country forward.

“The Nigeria Customs Service prides itself as one of the most automated agencies in Nigeria today, and while we cannot claim to be 100% automated, we are at least 70%. And the hallmark of the service is modernization.

“The process of research and development, producing innovations and products that we can sell and our stakeholders can buy. This Interaction is therefore very necessary to get useful feedbacks. It is part of our duty to sensitize them, and through that one, you can rest assured that there will be a positive impact on the economy, revenue and society itself, and people will get to understand and know the NCS better.

“Strategic stakeholders’ and partners’ engagement has become part of our responsibility as mandated by the CGC, and we should ensure that we engage them monthly in this process.”

He continued: “We want to drive the process forward for a positive impact on the Nigerian economy. This is the message from the Nigeria Customs Service, and we will keep on doing our best.

“Honesty and justice are the hallmarks of the NCS, commitment in the discharge of our duties, as well as patriotism to the country and trust are things we don’t joke with. We will not let down the trust of 200 million Nigerians that has been bestowed on us.”