The leadership of the Concerned Accredited Freight Forwarding Associations (CAFFA) has warned the Customs Area Controller of Apapa Customs Command, Comptroller Eporwei Charles Edike to be wary of the loyalty of his officers and men who work with him.
This warning which was contained in a press release issued recently by CAFFA in Lagos is coming on the heel of a media report where the National Coordinator of Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders, Importers and Exporters Coalition (SNIFFIEC), Dr. Osita Patrick Chukwu was quoted to have called on Comptroller Edike to order the arrest of the leadership CAFFA for daring to say that the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. HAmeed Ali was too slow as well as saying that they were tired of giving bribe.
In a statement which was signed by the Presidents of the four freight Forwarding associations that make up CAFFA namely, Dr. Eugene Nweke of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr. Frank Ukor of the Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN), Chief Festus Ejofor of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA) and Mr. Chukwuka Agubamah of the National Association of Air Freight Forwarders and Consolidators (NAFFAC), the group noted that, “at the point when Pastor Edike’s internal memo was found in the hands of one Mr. Osita Chukwu of Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders Group and a profiled journalist leaves much to be desired.
According to CAFFA, “The attention of the leadership of Concerned Accredited Freight Forwarding Associations (CAFFA) have been drawn to the alleged riot act by the Controller of Customs Apapa Pastor Edike to his officers and men with regard to the expression of CAFFA members that they are tired of giving bribe.
“We have also noted the expression of a seeming paid agent operating in the Port for selfish interest suggesting to Controller Edike to arrest the leadership of CAFFA. It is to our knowledge that we are familiar and conversant with CAC Edike as a Customs officer. However at the point when Pastor Edike’s internal memo was found in the hands of one Mr. Osita Chukwu of Save Nigeria Freight Forwarders Group and a profiled journalist leaves much to be desired.
“We want to believe that the internal memo of CAC Edike as reported was done in good faith other than witch-hunting freight agents/importers in their liberty to make free expression. At the moment we can only but direct all freight forwarding practitioners operating in Apapa port to go about their businesses without fear. In the same vein we advise that the adherence and compliant to import and export regulation is the road map to best practices.
“We wish to remark that Controller Edike may wish to watch his back in terms of loyalty of his officers because when we have his internal memos being leaked to the press and the likes of Osita Chukwu of Save Nigeria Group there is no doubt that something is going wrong in his administration”.
The group however hoped that the internal memo of CAC Edike was not meant to intimidate or extort its members in the course of their business.
While adding that it had noted a shortfall in the revenue collection of the Customs, the group advised that Customs should apply Section 27/28 of Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) to address the backlog of containers trapped due to form M related matters saying that the process would enhance revenue collection.
“It is also important that the sale of auction should be lifted. However the auction code should be followed during sales to ensure proper accounting of Customs revenue. The auction code stipulates that appropriate revenue due must be assessed and collected including sundry expenses e.g. warehousing charges.
“While appreciating the lifting of ban on rice importation through the border axial routes, the need for the Customs to pay attention to ship-load clearance, scanning units operations and outer terminals operations for the safety of Customs duty and accounting cannot be over-emphasized”, the group added.
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