If compliance to extant rules can be observed up to 60 percent and clearing agents make right declarations, it will be a good starting point to bring sanity to port operations.
Chairman, NAGAFF 100 percent Compliance Team, Alhaji Tanko Ibrahim, stated this in Lagos, Thursday.
He was exchanging views with the press at a Roundtable organized by the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN) at the Maritime International Press Centre, Apapa.
On the return of the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) to the ports, Tanko Ibrahim welcomed it as a good development. However, he cautioned against the agency indulging in sample-taking, mounting road blocks and other unwholesome practices which was part of agents’ grouse that informed government’s decision to bar her from the ports.
Now that SON is back, he stated, they should go to warehouses to collect samples and make seizures where necessary. They should also consider the practice of SONCAP whereby goods are examined and certificated at the point of manufacture to ensure they meet standards before export to Nigeria.
The NAGAFF chief took an exception to the the SON appointing overseas inspection representatives even as the inflow of fake and substandard goods into Nigeria has not abated.
“I am not against the return of the SON but I expect the organisation to adhere strictly to its core functions and avoid unwholesome acts – sample taking, container blocking and roadblock checking. Our complaint against these acts in the past caused the federal government to remove it from the port.
“I agree that substandard goods are back in the market. Is SON coming to the port to take samples? Or continue blocking containers in their system? Or standing on the road harassing containers in the name of searching for substandard goods? No. SON should follow goods to the owners’ warehouses to take samples not in the port.
“They are welcome, they should tell us how they are going to work now they are back. But what is their overseas inspection representatives doing?”
Tanko expressed dismay over the continuous presence of the Customs Federal Operations Unit, Strike Force and Customs Police on the road stopping and arresting containers and issuing debit notes on cargoes already released in the port.
He frowned at the poor level of compliance by freight forwarders and customs agents regardin import rules and regulations. He described this as reason for the high level of suspicion and harassment they have continued to suffer in the hands of security agencies.
“It is not good after you have cleared your containers and FOU, Strike Force and Customs Police begin to issue you debit notes. What causes this problem is non-compliance; we are not up to 30% in terms of compliance.
“The government accused us of non-compliance but NAGAFF took it up to educate and enlighten its members and others on the need to comply.”
Alhaji Tanko Ibrahim who cautioned importers to always do the right thing to avoid debit notes and sleepless nights, emphasized that customs officers cannot ask for money from any agent who makes correct declarations. It is only when agents are at fault that they offer money to customs officers who are willing to play ball.
” We cannot continue this way”, he stated.
“We need to come together and do the right thing.
On scanners, he called on the Nigeria Customs Service to deploy more scanning machines in the ports. The only scanner at Apapa Port, although yet to work, is not enough to scan the large volume of containers in the port.
“We need more than one scanner in Apapa Port, at least three while considering the volumes of containers that are needed to be inspected by the Customs daily. We can’t drop 300 containers in a day for inspection. With more scanners installed, it will be easy. At least 1000 containers can be dropped for scanning. More scanners are needed if the government wants us to work effectively,” Tanko observed.
Speaking about insecurity, he raised an alarm.
He tasked the Police, NPA and Customs on the rate of influx of beggars, miscreants and layabouts who now freely enter the terminals, sleeping and smoking at sensitive areas.
“We should be mindful of our security. NPA, Police and Customs should collaborate to sanitize the ports area.
