NCS meets stakeholders on evacuation of over 6,000 overtime cargoes, 48hrs clearance process
The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has engaged stakeholders to address the urgent need for the evacuation of the over 6,000 overtime cargoes at the ports and implementing a 48-hour clearance process to facilitate trade.
Adeniyi said the enforcement of the Presidential Directive for the 48-hour clearance of goods at seaports in accordance with the 2017 Executive Order 001, would ensure seamless operations.
Recall that the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, had during his visit to the Lagos ports, decried the over 6,000 abandoned/overtime cargoes, while urging the customs on speedy clearing processes to decongest the ports.
The CGC engaged in productive discussions with terminal operators, truck owners, licensed customs agents, freight forwarders and other essential stakeholders within the ports’ environment.
He expressed the NCS’ mission to fulfill the government’s goal of decongesting the port by expediting the removal of containers that have lingered for an extended period.
Adeniyi said the objective is to enhance customs procedures and ultimately reduce both time and cost of conducting business in the nation’s seaports.He said the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023 allows the service to remove overtime cargoes from the port.
The CGC emphasised the importance of partnership, support, understanding, collaboration, and participation from all stakeholders to successfully clear the containers from the ports.
He also announced the formation of a committee, as specified by the Act, which will include government agencies, representatives from terminal operators and shipping lines, who will manage the process of removing containers from the port.
Adeniyi revealed that the NCS has implemented strategies to address issues related to Customs processes and procedures, which include the plan to launch the Authorised Economic Operators (AEO) programme, a robust risk management system, and a time-release study scheduled for the first quarter of 2024.
https://cb86b0a122262d792426ca5980f50e8d.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-40/html/container.html Meanwhile, stakeholders at the event pledged their support to alleviate the ports from the burden of overtime cargoes.
The Representative of ICP Bonded Terminal, Gerald Mbamalu, called for the government’s intervention to improve the road infrastructure, ensuring the smooth movement of trucks in and out of the ports.
A terminal operator, Tunde Keshinro, emphasised that the challenges associated with overtime cargoes revolve around processes, including issues related to their location and the associated costs and charges.
He suggested that it would be more efficient to dispose of the cargo at their current locations, streamlining the process and expediting the necessary steps.
To achieve the goal of a 48-hour clearance process, the Vice President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Princess Chi Eze, urged the CGC to maximise the use of scanners at Apapa Port.
In response, the Zonal Coordinator, NCS Zone A, Bello Jibo, stated that the service is committed to monitoring the effective utilisation of scanners by regularly visiting the ports and terminals. FROM THE GUARDIAN
