NAGAFF Founder Appeals for Patience, Compliance, and Funding for Nigeria Customs Service
The Founder of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Okechukwu Aniebonam has called on freight forwarders to show patience with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on the difficulties in getting assessment just on time from the B'Odogwu portal.
He noted that it's to the knowledge of all about efforts the management team of the NCS led by the Comptroller General of Customs is making including but not limited to the various area commands through stakeholders engagement.
Specifically, the NAGAFF founder said that at the moment the Comptroller General of Customs has been moving around the western and eastern ports to ensure things are working well together with his officers at the zones.
Saying that the Controller of Apapa Port Command recently visited NAGAFF headquarters and other sister associations, and that it's on record that the controllers of Apapa, TCIP, PTML and Federal Operations Unit shall be following up the stakeholders to inform, educate and enlighten them, and in particular the DTI operators, he urged understanding as it's certain that the system must go through the initial teething problems and stakeholders must equally appreciate the problems the service may be encountering to power the innovation.
Aniebonam recalled that he has said it severally that there's the urgent need for Customs administration to be properly and adequately funded to enable them achieve objectives, and strongly advised the government and in particular the National Assembly and the executive to leverage the approved percentage of dues entered in the Customs Act, which shall help Customs to achieve the objectives of B'Odogwu innovation and other administrative requirements.
Reiterating the need for Nigeria Customs to be properly funded, especially at the moment that Nigeria is in the eye of global Customs administration, noting that the new responsibility bestowed on the Comptroller General of Customs as Chairman of World Customs Organisation is not a tea party . "A lot is desirous of Nigeria under the circumstances", he said..
"We must set a model for others to emulate, under the circumstances I do call upon the President of Nigeria to take special interest in the funding of Nigeria Customs Service in accordance with the Customs laws and regulations," the Founder emphasized.
He reminded freight forwarders and shippers that this is the time for high level compliance on import and export regulations, warning that B'Odogwu innovation may suffer the same problems like NICIS 2 regime if the clearing community does not showcase integrity in its declarations for Customs purposes.
He advised Customs to grant a 90-day grace period to non+compliant traders which will enable them to clear off their consignments in default of import and export guidelines.
Dr. Aniebonam also advised the Customs management team and the board to give approval for provisional release of cargo while fine-tuning the B'Odogwu innovation.
He directed all the freight forwarders under the control and regulations of Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (CRFFN) to support the Nigeria Customs Service in its efforts to make things better in cargo clearance out of Customs ports and borders.
Reemphasizing the need for Education, he in IT application he enjoined freight forwarders to take advantage of NAGAFF Academy or any other educational institutions to earn knowledge and skills in Customs matters and ports administration and management in cargo and logistics services.
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