Customs rallies support of stakeholders to address cargo clearance challenges

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi has again called for strong partnership with stakeholders to devise a lasting solution to issues facing clearance processes in ports across the country.

Adeniyi made the call during an interactive roundtable session held with stakeholders in Lagos on Friday as part of activities for the just concluded CGC’s Conference, 2023.

The meeting was attended by senior serving and retired Customs officers, terminal operators, freight forwarders, licensed customs agents, and representatives of excise stakeholders, among others, to create a platform for interaction and identify the way forward to better Customs operations.

CGC Adeniyi clarified that concerns such as multiple alerts, frequent downtime of CPC, numerous checkpoints, and difficulty accessing ports, among others, have been established in previous meetings as the next phase is to set time-bound solutions.

In his words, “Issues have been openly discussed. The main ones facing cargo clearance will be addressed by collaborating with key stakeholders on building a framework for the way forward to these outlined hurdles.”

“There will be a commitment to the creation and implementation of new policies that are in line with decisions that are taken today, and these approaches will be time bound to ensure we achieve the wanted objective soon,” he said.

A panel was set up encompassing representatives of stakeholders and the Nigeria Customs Service to address the concerns hindering effective port operations and achieve cumulative recommendations, which will be carried out by 1st quarter of 2024.

Comptroller Dera Nnadi, who was part of the panelists, encouraged port users and stakeholders to optimize weekend operations; he also encouraged the use of barges without making it a commercial process.

Stakeholders appreciated the CGC for bringing back the Services’ Annual Conference while expressing readiness to always work with Customs.

The President of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Tochukwu Ezisi, said, for the first time in years, freight forwarders are happy because “our issues are being discussed and decisions are taken immediately.”

“CGC Adewale has shown seriousness in achieving his three-point agenda by bringing back this Conference, which is an avenue to listen to stakeholders, and we are ready to always work with the Service,” he added.

Alhaji Kazeem Isa Adua, the Deputy President of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), stated, “The CGC has done well in organizing this Conference and with the positive body language seen today. We should expect a smooth and optimized clearance process soon”.