Stakeholders Engagement: Compt Nnadi Visits CCC

BY FUNMI ALUKO

The Chairman and Secretary, Customs Consultative Committee, Aare Fwdr. Hakeem Olarenwaju Rff and Fwdr Eugene Nweke Rff respectively, yesterday January 22, 2024 played host to Comptroller Dera Nnadi mni, the Customs Area Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service, Tin Can Island Command.

A statement signed and made available to our reporter by Nweke said that during the Tin Can Island Customs boss courtesy visit, the CCC Chairman drew his attention to the wider negative impact of the unstable foreign exchange regime on trade generally, and used the opportunity to enlighten the Comptroller on the workings of the CCC while soliciting for broader areas of strategic consultations aimed addressing operational bottlenecks in the ports.

The statement reads further: “The Chairman highlighted noticeable red tapes in the supply chain and recommended eradication of such.  He made recommendations for achieving policy goals of the Command in particular and the management of NCS in general.”

In his response,  the cerebral customs officer noted that his visit is was informed by his belief that responsible partnerships and collaborations are incomplete without strategic mobilization and alliances.

He explained that the annual revenue target of the Customs requires deliberate cooperation and the support of stakeholders, especially the trading public, and called for the support of the CCC in achieving this. Comptroller Nnadi commended the CCC for their support to TCIP Command in 2023 while informing that, the management of the Command is committed to the implementation of the key resolutions reached at the recent stakeholders meeting held during the Comptroller General of Customs conference 2023.

He said customs management would leave no stone unturned in pursuance of trade facilitation and compliance, noting that they are interwoven.

“To this extent, he called on the trading public to shore up compliance in their transactions and requisite trade related applications via prompt documentation and honest declaration. Going forward compliance traders will be rewarded with prompt service delivery , while sanctions on trade irregularities and breaches will be meted to defaulting trading public ( importer /exporter and their representative) as provided in the new Nigeria  Customs Act 2023.

“Equally, he said that   officers caught on the wrong side of duty other than spotting and tackling trade infractions will as well be punished accordingly to achieve holistic and meaningful compliance.”

The statement reads further: “On the allegation that the Service increased the benchmark for the surface payable Customs duty, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, mni reiterated that at no time did the Service set or increased any benchmark other than, the reality of the foreign exchange rate regime, insisting that, once the exchange rate drops, the payable surface Customs duty will as well drop.”

The CCC Chairman reassured the visiting Comptroller of the committee’s cooperation and support towards meeting set goals, especially the Command revenue target; even as he thanked the customs area chief for the courtesy visit, following which he also presented him with the CCC handbook.