Post-Dikko: CRFFA Worried over Customs’ Direction

Thirty-five days after Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi exited, freight forwarders under the aegis of Concerned Registered Freight Forwarding Association, say they await the new CGC, col. Hameed Ali to hit the ground running.

The expectation of the freight forwarders may be disappearing for the slow starting of the new Comptroller General of Customs Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd).

The Freight Forwarders, who said expected to be saved from the inexplicable extortion in the ports, added they are getting disillusioned.

The freight forwarders in a statement made available to Nigeria CommunicationsWeek and signed by Eugene Nweke, national president, NAGAFF; Festus Ejiofor, national president, NCMDLCA; T. Agubamah, National President, NAFFAC and Frank Ukor, national president, AREFFN, said “The expectation has been that by now the CGC should have visited the ports and strategic border locations with a view to conferring with the stakeholders.

The Association said that to achieve the mandate of reforms, restructure and revenue collection we expect that the new CGC should start by conferring with the stakeholders with a view to obtaining first hand information.

“If Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd.) continues to confer only with officers it may be risky to the mandate of Mr. President and anti corruption crusade.

“At the moment the rate of corruption has increased because of uncertainty.  At present it is to grab whatever you can because you do not know what happens next.  The instances of alert application from unauthorized units of APM’s desk, valuation, CIU, enforcement and others have continued in a regrettable proportion.  The instance of frivolous and unsubstantiated demand notes from the valuation unit have become unbearable including the extortion therein.

“The Comptroller General should hit the ground and be running to maintain the tempo of the anti corruption crusade of Mr. President.  The impression at the ports at the moment is that he is being reluctant to effect his assigned duty especially wearing Customs uniform after 20 years of civilian life.  If he does not hit ground running on matters of corruption it may appear that Mr. President is not properly briefed about the corruption level in the Nigeria seaports and border locations.

“In the instance, there is the need to bridge the gap between the clearing costs at the seaports, airports and border stations.  The inherent differential in the cost of clearing goods out of Customs control at Jibiya border, Idiroko and Seme with Onne ports, Apapa and TCIP are so much without realizing that the importers compete in the same market.  Therefore the urgent need for universal application of value for imported goods in all Customs commands cannot be over emphasized.

“The expected reforms and restructuring of Customs is to the stakeholders an internal affairs of the Service.  The interest of stakeholders is to the extent the CGC shall ameliorate the level of extortion, over valuation of imports and the impunity of officers to act to the contrary on Customs laws and regulations.  The CGC warnings with regard to non compliance to import regulations on matters of concealment, false declaration and untrue declaration in general has created a huge panic in the Customs operations.

“The implication of the warning from Abuja without visiting the operational areas and recourse to issuance of demand notices over such infractions has created opportunity for the highest level of extortion in the ports.  The CGC seem not to realize that every offense against Customs laws in relation to revenue collection is about detention, seizure, investigation and prosecution.  The concept of smuggling as far as Customs matters are concerned is to the extent the exporter; importer, excise trader and licensed Customs agents attempt to evade Customs duty or importation of prohibited goods into Nigeria.

“The CGC should therefore be told that his pronouncement has increased smuggling activities in the Customs ports through concealment, false declaration, under valuation, wrong description of imports etc.  We shall be looking forward to meeting with him after the Sallah holiday because the Government is losing so much revenue at the moment.

“The Comptroller General should simply understand that some Customs officers who have been in the seaports by recycling their postings for the past 10 years must have to leave the port arena if he wants to tackle corruption in the Customs ports and border stations.  We must clearly state that we are tired of giving bribes in our profession.  The option is to do the right thing now with a view to supporting the crusade of change in Nigeria. Importers/exporters/manufacturers must be seen to do the right thing at the moment, and together we should build a greater Nigerian.

“Other measures shall include but not limited to revoking Customs licenses which are allegedly owned by serving and ex-customs officers, activating the Zonal offices for effectiveness, stopping of multiple alert systems and establishing a public data base for valuation of imported goods for Customs purposes.  When the CGC meets with the critical stakeholders like the freight forwarders and agents, we shall have the ample opportunity to speak our minds on so many issues that we feel will make him succeed in his mandate from Mr. President.  We are definitely putting finishing touches to the compilation of names of Government agents’ personnel’s that are so corrupt.  We hope that this should take place as soon as possible,” the statement read.