…Wants him to visit the ports
The founder, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Boniface Aniebonam has said that the inability of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col Hameed Ali (rtd.) to visit the nation’s seaport 35 days after he assumed duty posed a lot of questions over his willingness to execute that job.
Speaking to newsmen in Lagos on Tuesday, Aniebonam stated that one should have expected Ali to have visited the port to confer with the stakeholders so as to get first hand information which would enable him plan his administration effectively.
While he okayed the meeting the CGC held with the customs top brass and his subsequent visit to the Gwagwalada Training school of the Nigeria Customs Service, Aniebonam who is also the National Chairman of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) however described that as an internal exercise adding that Ali ought to have hit the ground running.
“Hitting the ground running is coming to get first hand information as to what is happening in the ports. The port is not functioning properly, the freight forwarders are not happy about the development. There is a lot of things going on now in the port since his announcement as the CG of Customs.
“I am aware that a lot of jobs that have been worked upon by customs are being retrieved. So, one begin to ask questions, that means that something was wrong abinitio? Now there is a new administration, they are being recalled, then something was wrong.
“So, some of these things, he needs to find out why, he needs to really look at the issue of corruption. Those things are worrying the agents; the agents are really very uncomfortable for him not coming after 35 days of assuming duty. Some of them are being disillusioned”, Aniebonam said.
When reminded that Ali is not a customs officer and may be buying time to acquaint himself with the running of the organization before stepping out to meet with the stakeholders, he said,” These are the issues. I think he has to be in the port as fast as possible. If he didn’t get to the port, it is like he has not started yet. He needs to meet with the stakeholders and confer with them.
“And I am telling you authoritatively as a critical stakeholder that he needs to visit the port very fast and hit the ground running, that is what I am saying. When I said hitting the ground running, a lot of things are going wrong in the port. For instance, the zonal offices still need to be activated. Many of us are not very comfortable with going to Abuja or a very minor issue. That should stop because it is anti trade. Of course, it poses a lot of danger for the freight forwarders and then the importers as it were.
“You recall that the Nigerian Ports Authority for instance moved their headquarters from Abuja to Lagos because that is where the issues are resolved, that is where the ports are lying and then of course, the customs having maintained office in Abuja, that is okay, the zonal office should be seen to be very active. It has been very dormant, he needs to re-activate that place and of course, crimes that have to do with revenue collections, one begins to ask question. This will need to stop now. The various alerts being put in place and the value question as far as customs operation is concerned, it still need to be addressed because this the area where real corruption is”.
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