NCS Tincan Island Command gets CCC backing for efficient performance

The Customs Consultative Committee (CCC) has stated that it would encourage and collaborate with the Tincan Island Command of Nigeria Customs Service towards meeting its goals of trade facilitation, especially the revenue target.

The Chairman of CCC, Aare Fwdr. Hakeem Olarenwaju, gave the assurance during the working visit of Comptroller Dera Nnadi, the Controller of Tincan Command, to the office of CCC in Apapa on Monday, January 22, 2024.

The CCC Chairman drew the attention of Comptroller Dera Nnadi 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 broader areas of strategic consultations to redefine operational bottlenecks in the ports.

Olarenwaju highlighted noticeable redtapes 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, Comptroller Nnadi reiterated that his courtesy visit was informed by his belief that responsible partnerships and collaborations are incomplete without strategic mobilization and alliances, hence his visit to the CCC.

Insisting that the annual revenue target of the Customs requires deliberate cooperation and the support of stakeholders, especially the trading public, he called for the support of CCC in achieving this for TCIP Command.

He 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 insisted that the management would not leave any stone unturned in pursuance to its trade compliance and facilitation quest.

To this extent, he called on the trading public to sure up compliance in their trade transactions and requisite trade related applications via prompt documentation and honest declaration.

He noted that going forward compliance traders will be rewarded with prompt service delivery , while sanctions on trade irregularities and breaches will be meted to the defaulting trading public ( importer /exporter and their representative) as provided in the new Nigeria Customs Act 2023. He said equally that officers caught in the line of duty other than spotting and tackling trade infractions will as well be punished accordingly to achieve holistic and meaningful compliance.

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 nor 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.