Regulate Bonded Terminals’ Licenses To Curb Arms, Offensive Imports- Okafor Tells Customs

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

Against the backdrop of recent discovery by management of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) that bonded terminals are colluding with criminal elements including bad eggs within the service, the Managing Director of Denca Services Limited, Chief Dennis Okafor, has called on the NCS to regulate and enhance  review and procedures for the issuance of bonded terminal licenses.

Chief Okafor says the effort will go a long way in checkmating the influx of arms and ammunition as well as other illicit drugs trafficking into the country.

The Denca CEO made the call in a chat with Pinnacle Time online newspaper while selling his candidacy and that of the Group-of-9 like-minds, who are contesting election of the membership ticket of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the association of Nigeria licensed customs agents (ANLCA).

Reacting to questions on the recent seizures of large caches of arms, ammunition and illicit drugs by Customs at its leading area commands, including Tin Can Island, Onne and Apapa ports, Okafor observed that improved, stringent measures, monitoring, compliance and sanctions will achieve the needed deterrence.

In particular, he noted that the current ease of obtaining bonded terminal licenses from Customs has led to unscrupulous individuals exploiting the system, resulting in the movement of dangerous goods through bonded warehouses.

He urged the NCS to make the process stricter, considering factors like location, company organogram, and the character of applicants, to ensure licenses are issued to reputable and trustworthy individuals.

His words, “The problem we have with flying of containers in collusion with bonded terminal operators is customs. They should be held responsible because in those days before you get a bonded terminal license, a lot of things have to be done.

“It’s not just to run to Abuja get paper and come back; there are many things that must be considered. For example, location is very paramount and organogram of the company among other things .But these days Customs don’t do it and they don’t look at the character of the person because you have to be a clearing agent with known character and good record. But now they issue license to every Dick and Harry, they don’t check their background.

“Things are not done like that. The licenses needs to be regulated, Customs need to raise the bar so that the licenses would not be given to unscrupulous people.

“Somebody should not just have land, clear it for customs to inspect and he gives the inspectors money and they issue him license. If this continues, the issue of flying dangerous containers through bonded terminals will not abate. It will continue. Old generation bonded terminal operators cannot indulge in such things”, he argued.

The Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, had revealed that bonded warehouses, in collusion with corrupt elements within the Customs service, are being exploited as channels to smuggle arms and ammunition and other offensive items into Nigeria.

Speaking on the upcoming  board election and his chances to secure a seat, the Denca boss stated that his over 40 years experience in the industry makes him an ideal candidate, noting he has always represented positive impact in the board.

A freight forwarder, bonded terminal operato and a port manager, Okafor says that a vote for him puts him at a greater advantage to support the G9 led BoT in achieving greater stability and pursuing new, innovative agenda aimed at repositioning ANLCA and providing more benefits for members.

“I came into the industry in 1981. I started as a freight forwarder, now I am a bonded terminal operator. I am also a port manager, I manage Port Harcourt Port Area 1, after we won the concession. We are into oil and gas services too. I started politics in ANLCA with Peter Okocha. I was the treasurer during his regime in the early 1990s. I later became a board member in 2014 but before then I have been in the forefront of agents’ welfare, assisting and mentoring many.”

He explained that like many law abiding members of the then NECOM during the crisis, and in obedience to court ruling, he discontinued the board membership in furtherance of the pursuit of peace.

Okafor also expressed his commitment to improve agents’ welfare and sanitize the cargo clearance system if elected.

“During the ANLCA crisis, I was the vice chairman of the board but I relinquished the position and sacrifice a lot for peace to reign. Clearing agents are suffering too much. The system of the work has been bastardized. With the G9, as much as we can, we will try to bring sanity into clearing.

“As someone who has been in the industry since 1981, I am knowledgeable in what is happening in the industry, and have what it takes to join like minds to deepen the peace that has returned and to initiate processes that will improve our lot”, he said.

When asked about his ability to compete with certain opponents in the BoT election who have strong connections especially in the Apapa Chapter of the association, to which he also belongs, Okafor said:

“I’m not bordered about that, this is an election, and anymore can win. For me, it is not a do-or-die affair; whoever wins should be allowed to take the position. We are in a democracy and our democracy is transparent.”

Addressing concerns about perceptions that some G 9 members’ are not well-known or visible in ANLCA politics, Okafor said rather than be beclouded by sentiments, members and voters should also accept the electoral rules as the paramount guideline, noting that at no time did the rules state that a contestant must have held previous positions at the chapter or national level.

According to him, what the guidelines stipulate is membership of ANLCA with known chapter, and the contestant’s ability to deliver results and drive positive change.

“Before the members of the G9 came up with the agenda we have agreed that it has to be in collaboration with NECOM. They (NECOM) will be at the front while we (BoT) will be at the back to make sure we achieve our agenda.

“In some associations, they appoint people into the board that can help the association achieve results, value and the substance they can add to the association, not even by election. So it is the capacity to deliver that matters not whether someone has served in any position in ANLCA at chapter or national level”.