The Concerned Accredited Freight Forwarding Association (CAFFA) has called for the immediate revocation of all licenses issued by the customs to protect government revenue.
This was contained in a letter the group addressed to the Comptroller-General of Customs, a copy of which was obtained by Primetime Reporters.
CAFFA in the letter disclosed that, “It is a fact at the moment that other than the financial gain into the coffers of the government via licensing fee, the use of Tax Identification Number (TIN) by the importer as the declarant has rendered Customs license moribund and at best invalid”.
It further averred that the use of a corporate body as a licensee is now outdated and of no consequence in the era of e-commerce tagged paperless shipping concept with a bias to trade facilitation adding that it was their advice that the Nigeria Customs Service should adopt and expand Wireless Fidelity (WIFI) concept as a network that allows individual entry into customs operations and interactions.
The letter read,” It is on record that the Nigeria Customs Service has a mandate to regulate and control its licensing processes through three options viz; corporate, individual and firm. Under the circumstance of customs reforms which is ongoing, it is very necessary that we enthrone a policy that will ensure that it is only an individual person that can be referred to as a professional other than a corporate body to perform functions in relation to customs formalities.
“We advocate that the Nigeria Customs Service Management should undertake to accredit individuals rather than a corporate body in carrying out its statutory duty. The e-commerce of the Nigeria Customs Service administration has provided such an opportunity in the new era of paperless shipping. We are all aware that Customs examiners are duly allocated with password to perform their official duties of authorizing customs releases, a replica of what is happening in the financial institutions like the banks”.
It harped on the need for the Nigeria Customs Service Management Board to enter into strategic cooperation and partnership with the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN) management who according to the group had the statutory responsibility to train and re-train freight agents to undertake highly technical duty of the Nigeria Customs Service as experts.
CAFFA informed that the cabotage law seeks to enhance local content and create jobs for Nigerians explaining that the idea being that every individual freight forwarder so trained and certified by the CRFFN accredited institute was to manage freight forwarding companies whose names were in the register of CRFFN or as it may be authorized by Customs.
“This is a way we can bring professionalism in customs operations and freight forwarding practice. We have said and advised the management of Nigeria Customs Service in good faith as professionals and indeed patriotic Nigerians and we consider it most appropriate to support Mr. President and the leadership of Nigeria Customs Service in their effort to bring about a new Nigeria.
“We are conversant with what is happening in other countries with regards to customs operations and freight forwarding profession. The word “Customs brokerage” is a profession rather than vocation because in America, Europe and Asian countries, Customs brokers are individuals rather than corporate bodies and they are well educated through proper formal training and certified by accredited institutions of learning. They are professionals rather than what is obtained in Nigeria where it is a breeding ground for a revenue risks. Customs brokers as professional manage and administer freight forwarding companies, firms and organization in the United States of America”{.
While passing a vote confidence in the management team of the Service led by Alhaji Inde Abdullahi Dikko, CAFFA advised that President Muhammadu Buhari should continue to observe and uphold the doctrine of performance in the customs administration.
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