Customs Dumps Scanners At Apapa Port, Orders 100% Cargo Examination

There is panic among clearing agents operating at the Lagos Port complex, Apapa as the newly appointed Customs Area Controller, Acomptroller Mohammed Auwal, ordered officers of the command to subject all cargoes coming through the seaport to 100 percent examination.

Maritime stakeholders said the 100 percent examination would make 24 hours cargo examination a mirage as well as disrupt trade facilitation.

LEADERSHIP reports that the federal government had procured $18million cargo scanners for trade facilitation, quick turnaround time of vessels and national security across the nation’s seaports.

But, Compt. Auwal, had declared, over the weekend, that due diligence shall be given preference at all times in cargo clearance as all containers landing and leaving Apapa Port shall be subjected to 100 per cent examination.

Auwal stated that he is ready for the job and would work to sustain and surpass the N1.5 trillion revenue profile of his predecessor.

“I am delighted to be here with you. We know that the federal government relying on officers in the Command to collect and generate revenues and stop and suppress smuggling. I am ready for the job and will sustain the tempo and improve on the level of achievements of my predecessor. We shall do our best.

“I want to urge all our Releasing Officers to ensure that no containers leave the port without undergoing 100% examination. Officers should exhibit high level of integrity in cargo releasing, so as to avoid release of cargo in error,” Auwal said, calling on all the command’s staff not to relent on their efforts and extend their cooperation to him just as they did to ACG Malanta Yusuf.

Speaking to LEADERSHIP on the recent policy statement of the Apapa Customs CAC, the former president, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Eugene Nweke, disclosed that it is a high time the service free the cargo delivery corridor with undue bottlenecks and associated delays.

According to him, the high cost of doing business at the port promotes inflations, lowering purchasing power of the citizens and undue hardship on the land.

He, however, stated that there is need to point out that certain operations or experimental tools that has over stayed its welcome, should be jettisoned forth with, so as to promote fluidity in the cargo clearance flow.

He said, “I strongly believe that, with the adoption of the smart border concept, installation of rapiscan mobile scanners and deployment of forensic application in trade treatment, it is no longer a necessary option patronizing a trade impediments arrangement. It is a high time to free the cargo delivery corridor with undue bottlenecks and associated delays.

“I am quite confident that if we are committed in this regards, we can do and perform much better in facilitation of trade without compromising security and revenue objectives. Obviously, most of you have better understanding, intents and the workings of the systems audit in relation to manifest administration, hence, suffices that cargo alerting system should be centralized where necessary, as it were at the inception of the PAAR Regime,” he said.

Also speaking, an executive member, Association of Nigerian Licenced Customs Agents (ANLCA), Emanuel Onyeme, disclosed that 100 percent examination of cargoes is anti-trade as it will disrupt cargo facilitation at the Apapa port.

He stated that the Customs CAC should be concerned about bringing more scanners to be deployed to the seaport instead of calling for 100 percent cargo examination.

“Everyone that assume new leadership position will have one thing to support his appointment. That statement I see is just to support his appointment. 100 percent physical examination of cargoes are not possible because where will he get the manpower to carry the directive in other to meet up the demand of everyone, it’s not possible.

“Recently, we have scanners and what you expected him to say is to tell us that he his going to ensure that the command has more scanners that can meet up the demands of the society. When we talked of physical examination, we talk of Apapa terminal that drops over 100 containers a day. How many officers are on ground that can supervise the examinations?” He continued, “remember that now, we have a lot of senior officers that have retired and most of the officers that were recruited in 2009 and 2011 are now senior officers.

“How many are on ground to carry out the assignment? For me I see that statement as a political statement based on his appointment. Mind you, his statement won’t facilitate trade, because no much manpower on ground? how many officers are on ground? That statement can’t facilitate trade rather, he should talk about how to enhance the scanners by bringing in more scanners to facilitate trade but physical examination where labour will offload cargoes from the containers won’t facilitate trade,” he stressed.