ANDREW UTULU
The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Ports and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML), Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Saidu Abba Yusuf, has called on all newly promoted officers under his watch to grow into their new ranks, by showing excellent examples in punctuality, timelines and overall discipline.
Comptroller Yusuf recently congratulated all the promoted officers and made the call in Lagos while decorating the officers.
He reminded them of the virtues of punctuality, being one of the areas to achieve productivity.
While commending the officers for their compliant level in keeping the good image of the area as a model port, he noted that being time conscious is a mark of discipline which every officer should uphold.
He also noted that being on one’s duty post at all times and when necessary would help in revenue collection, trade facilitation and anti-smuggling.
Comptroller Yusuf said, “I want to urge all promoted officers to grow into their new ranks by showing excellent examples to their subordinates, loyal to the service and respectful to their superiors.
“Our time release study on cargo clearance is hinged on the word time. Faster cargo clearance for which we have hit a record breaking three hours release of cargo for compliant traders, rely on timeliness. We couldn’t have achieved this if we were late comers.
“Let your resumption time be observed as you have been doing. Keep it up and the sky will be your limit in all you do.
“Your new rank is not the end. In fact, it is the beginning of more tasks. Our Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, believes in results. Say no to giving excuses.
“Stakeholders, customs partnership is in our new law. We at PTML will continue to follow that step. From engagements, challenges are easily identified for solutions to be discovered,” the CAC said.
For officers still expecting promotion, Comptroller Yusuf advised them to keep working hard towards it as it will manifest in due time.
Delivering a vote of thanks on behalf of the promoted officers, newly decorated Chief Superintendent of Customs (CSC) M.E. Ojo Ede thanked President Bola Tinubu, Minister of Finance and Chairman of NCS Board, Mr Wale Edun; the CGC Wale Adeniyi and the Customs Area Controller for their leadership qualities and making the promotion possible.
Speaking on behalf of stakeholders who witnessed the event, Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha, Board of Trustee Chairman of Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) congratulated the officers.
He urged them to reciprocate the promotion gesture through hard work and dedication to their duties.
Recalled that recently while congratulating the Grimaldi Group for the feat of the berthing of ‘MV Great Lagos’, a ship with space to carry 2500 vehicles and 2000 containers, the comptroller told stakeholders that this showed the capacity of the command to receive and process increased number of imported cargoes.
Comptroller Yusuf advised all port users and stakeholders to be compliant at all times as a way to enjoy the lawful benefits of trade facilitation and ease of doing business.
Comptroller Yusuf said: “Since my arrival, I have been saying a lot of things about the advantages of being compliant. Once you are compliant, you won’t experience any delay in cargo clearance. When you declare exactly what you have, and when you pay exactly what you are supposed to pay as your duties, we won’t delay you. The fastest we have done so far in terms of time release is about 3 hours. When a consignee or a declarant declares exactly what he has, examination is quickly conducted and release is quickly done. Within 3 hours, your cargoes are out. We don’t have any cause to hold on to any cargo as long as the compliance level is 100 percent.
“The most important thing, as I always say, is compliance and transparency. When you talk about the harmonization of process, standardization of process, simplification of process, all these entails that there must be transparency. Once there is transparency, it makes our job very easy and the issue of interventions, infractions will be limited, and the time release will be so fast. The moment the time release is fast, it attracts more businesses in line with World Customs Organisation tenets which all customs administration are trying to key into.”
The Command also maintained that it had sustained the three-hour vehicle clearance feat it achieved in the previous Months under the watch of Comptroller Yusuf.
It would be recalled that the command last year, intercepted 20 containers loaded with expired tomato concentrates valued at N116.21million.
This feat earned Comptroller Yusuf, officers and men of his command commendations both from the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi.
Recalled also, that Comptroller Yusuf, led the command to a record-breaking feat of vehicle clearance within three hours from customs control, since the Month of June 2023, which the command maintained was sustained in July, August, September, October, November and December.
The Controller had also described the timely clearance of imported vehicles through PTML as a product of holistic compliance involving NCS officers and all port users.
He had also urged operatives of the command to sustain and improve upon the tempo of achievement.
According to the CAC, Customs officers serving in PTML under his watch, have renewed their commitment to always implement government policies relating to trade facilitation, ease of doing business and strict observance of World Customs Organization (WCO) Time Release Study (TRS).
The Time Release Study, according to the Customs boss, is a strategic and internationally recognized tool to measure the actual time required for the release and/or clearance of goods, from the time of arrival, until the physical release of cargo, with a view to finding bottlenecks in the trade flow process and taking necessary measures to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the procedures.
Comptroller Yusuf said: “I am pleased to acknowledge that increased levels of compliance on the part of NCS officers, sister government agencies, terminal operators, importers and agents have made us the fastest for exiting imported vehicles from customs control.
“This should be seen as a major point of discouragement for those who attempt to smuggle cars into the country that face the risk of outright seizure and forfeiture. PTML has shown the fastest record in achieving this within three hours where there is flawless compliance.
“We are going to continue to sustain and improve upon this feat by promoting ease of doing business and trade facilitation. With the strategies we have put in place, I can assure that our revenue collection for the second half of 2023 will surpass the N100.9billion collected in the first six months of this year,” the CAC said.
He reiterated that delay in the processing of any entry is a delay in trade and revenue urging that compliant traders should see the benefits in staying on the path of law-abiding attributes.
The CAC implored all importers and their agents using PTML to come forward to initiate and effect clearing of their cargoes taking advantage of the template of operational efficiency he has put in place.
Also, under his watch, the command last year, held sensitization meeting with stakeholders on VIN Valuation. During the meeting Compt.
Yusuf tasked auto importers on the need to inculcate transparency in cargo declarations.
He dispelled the rumor that the VIN method had been cancelled.
He reiterated an earlier position on the matter issued by the Nigeria Customs Service headquarters that the VIN Valuation Process remained fully operational and effective.
He added that the trim numbers are critical in identifying distinct versions or tiers within a specific car model, adding that they delineate varying configurations, features, and levels of equipment associated different models.
The CAC said the trim of vehicles are not same for all kinds, while urging declarants to have their transaction values.
He blamed some declarants for not being transparent because they go about inputting what they think is the lowest base value, which necessitates interventions like Demand Notice (DN) and alerts.
He advised them to apply invoice and transaction values as a way of promoting transparency and building integrity in the trade process of vehicle clearance.
Comptroller Yusuf said Section 24 of Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA), 2023 provides for advance ruling for stakeholders to submit to the NCS before a transaction and the ruling will be binding on the service and the importer or agent.
This according to the Comptroller, is a unique trade facilitation method provided for by the new law.
The CAC who described the meeting as being in line with the law, also said customs- stakeholders’ partnership is a provision of section 29 of NCSA 2023.
According to him, meetings like this was meant to rub minds, identify challenges and jointly work out solutions on how best to resolve the challenges. He added that the meeting was also in tandem with World Customs Organization (WCO) and World Trade Organization (WTO) trade facilitation thrusts which encourage consultations.
He reminded the stakeholders that the use of code 846 for clearing of non-standard VIN had been further modified to reduce human contact through what he called e-846, adding that this saves time and makes trade easier.
“I must commend the system because the reduction of human contact is very effective and beneficial to all as it saves time. I personally monitor electronically from my office and can confirm that my officers are implementing it diligently.
“Wherever you are experiencing delay in the process under my command, please draw my attention to it. My doors are open and will be more open to all of you. The help desk headed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer is active and responding to all inquiries online and in real time,” Comptroller Yusuf said.
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