…Canvasses for one single document for cargo clearing
As Nigeria gradually moves to meet the 2025 target set by the International Maritime Organization, IMO for nations to attain the Port Community System, the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS has called for the harmonization of laws of the various government agencies involved in cargo clearing at the nation’s seaports so as to avoid duplication of laws and processes.
The Comptroller General of Customs, Mr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi who made this call in his presentation at an event in Lagos on Thursday with the theme, “The Imperative Of PCS For Integration Of All Players In Nigerian Port System” frowned at the duplicity of laws by the various agencies of government noting that the development hampers trade and makes clearing procedure at the nation’s seaports cumbersome and time wasting.
Noting that every government agency in Nigeria that has something to do with maritime industry had their own mandate which they call their laws, the CGC who was represented by the Customs Area Controller of Tincan Island Port command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, recalled that the Nigeria Customs Service reviewed its own law – the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
“Wouldn’t it be something of interest in order to achieve this Port Community System if every other agencies review laws and see areas where such laws have something to share with other laws and then, we harmonize them and then, it becomes one so that what obtains in one agency also obtains in another.
“Take for instance, issues of drug interdiction. Nigeria Customs Service has a law against importation of illicit substances, NDLEA has the same law against importation of illicit substances, NAFDAC has the same law against importation of illicit substances, these are laws that can be harmonized and it will be one”, he said.
He maintained that the crux of his paper was not just about how to remove barriers to customs processes but on how to remove barriers to trade adding that customs was part of the global supply chain just like every other members of the Port Community System.
“So, we are not just discussing customs here, we are discussing trade generally. And like I said, trade is very significant for every nation. The success and development of a nation depends on how they manage this trade. How we manage trade in Nigeria and for us as customs, yes, our revenue comes from this, from the aspect of the national security, management of trade also has some significant role to play in what comes into Nigeria or what goes out, how we manage raw materials importation, how we manage export of goods.
“But most significantly, IMO set a target of 2025 for every nation particularly Nigeria to have attained the Port Community System. We are working towards that. Like you saw me right there, since 1997, we have been working to modernize our system culminating in the Nigeria Customs Service NICIS II and then, we are also migrating to trade modernization programme which effectively will further embrace other community users.
“Almost all other major players in the maritime sector, in the nation’s economy – FIRS, National Bureau of Statistics, Central Bank of Nigeria, they are all hooked up to the customs system and luckily enough, Mr. President recently approved a National Single Window domiciled with the Federal Inland Revenue Service. So, we are attaining that. By 2025 I hope Nigeria would have attained what is expected of them”, the CGC added.
Adeniyi further revealed that with the Port Community System, efforts were being made to eliminate the use of over 200 documents for cargo clearance and replace it with a single document which would serve the interest of all the agencies that were involved in cargo clearing.
According to him, “Ultimately, that’s where we are headed to, where you will have one document that should be able to accommodate the interest of SON, NAFDAC, and every other major players alongside the interest of customs. One of the best things that can happen to you in trade facilitation is to eliminate the use of over 200 documents, reused over 45 times by the same people.
“All over the world, everybody is trying to tend towards that. I will give you an example, if Nigeria attains the Authorized Economic Operator status which we have just launched, what it means is that not just within Nigeria, any document you used in clearing cargo from foreign country will be used in clearing that same cargo in Nigeria.”
Speaking on delays associated with cargo clearing in Nigeria, the customs boss maintained that 80 percent of activities relating to cargo clearing happen outside the customs zone except for physical examination of cargo.
His words, “Issues of the payment at the bank, issues of going to the shipping company, going to the terminal operators, capturing your goods at the DTI, all these things don’t happen within the customs territory. What happens within customs territory is just the cargo examination. So, if we are able to achieve examination of cargo through non intrusive cargo examination, like the use of scanners, we will even reduce it further.
“Think about it, outside physical examination of cargo, what other thing happens between customs and the trader? Those who comes to the customs CPC come there because something that would have been done at the traders’ zone was not done right. If they do it right, you have no business coming.
“You submit your pre- arrival requirements through the bank, it goes to the customs headquarters through the commercial banks, you are not allowed to go there. Your PAAR is issued to you through your commercial bank and a copy sent to your email, you do your capture, your bill of lading is sent to you by the shipping company, your terminal operator send you your terminal charges and every other things. They don’t come to customs.
“So, the only thing that brings you to customs is cargo examination, even the release, when we release your cargo, we send the information to your terminal who triggers exit.”
Photo: Mr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, Comptroller General of Customs.
Send your press invite, news, press releases/articles to augustinenwadinamuo@yahoo.com. Also, follow us on Twitter @PrimetimeRepor1 and on Facebook on facebook.com/primetimereporters or call the editor on 07030661526.
