*** Will checkmate excesses of Customs, Others.
By Ruth Sunday
The Chairman of the 100% Compliance Committee of Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents(ANLCA), Alhaji Lameen Aliyu has spoken of the preparedness of the Committee to ensure strict adherence to government policy on cargo clearance in the port.
Alhaji Aliyu stated this while addressing Maritime Journalists on the occasion of the flagging off of the operations of the Committee in both Airports, Seaports and Land Borders, at the ANLCA, Murritala Mohammed International Airports Chapter Secretariat , Lagos.
He made it clear that the Committee will also ensure strict compliance to trade rules by members of the association through making honest declarations of cargoes and paying the requisite Customs duties, adding that days are gone when agents carry their goods without paying duties..
”On our part as well as a Compliance team, we try everything we can to make sure our members comply. They must comply through their declaration. Anyone caught giving wrong declaration is on his own, because we are to set things right. We must make sure things work well. And it is in our agenda too to sensitize our members on doing the right thing.
”As far as 100% Compliance Committee is concerned, we are not going to bring anything new to Custom. Whatever policy that Government has put in place as far as cargo clearance is concerned, that is what we are going to make sure that it adhered to hundred percent. We cannot bring in any idea of ours except what government has approved.
”Like at the airport here, we have this slogan that ‘carry go’. Some won’t pay duty, they want to carry go, that will not happen again as far as this air
port is concerned and God so kind, he has brought a Controller who is passionate about this country, who love the people of this country as well. He stood his ground that idea of carry go will no longer be there and if you go by their records, you will see truly that our members are complying as far duty payment is concerned. So all hands must be on deck to make sure things work well in this country.
The ANLCA Compliance Committee Chairman expressed their readiness to work hand in glove with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Terminal Operators, Shipping Companies and all government agencies in the ports to ensure that the right thing is done in aid to trade facilitation while they(govt agencies, customs, shipping companies and terminals)in turn would be monitored to check their excesses.
”We are going to work hand in hand with all the terminal operators, Service Providers, Shipping Companies and so on including all government agencies. Like I said, that does not mean any either service provider, terminal operators who does not do the right thing, we are going to , because we are working in collaboration with National Assembly, Nigeria Customs Service, government security agencies to make sure things are done right,” Aliyu opined.
Alhaji Aliyu used the forum to debunk the allegations that ANLCA does not allow Customs officials to carry out 100% examination of cargoes which is their legitimate responsibility., describing it as baseless and untrue
”We have a letter from the National Assembly alleging that ANLCA is a hinderance to the conduct of their 100% examination,. That we don’t allow them to carryout their statutory duty.
From my own understanding, it is wrong for anyone to allege that customs brokers stop Nigeria Customs Service from carrying out their 100% examination.
”Be that as it may, we went to National Assembly, we sat with them, the Chairman Committee on Customs. There are issues we addressed which at the same time, the Customs were mandated to revert to their old system of having a kind of synergy with their stakeholders, that is the Customs Consultative Forum.
”At the same time at that point in time, it was there and then, my national President, Honourable Tony Uji Nwabunike came up with this Compliance Committee which I was made the chairman.
”However, as far as Customs and agents are concerned, we are one body. The difference is that the wear Uniform, we don’t put on Uniform rather , we are giving license to operate and represent Federal government of Nigeria. We also generate revenue for the country.
”We are working hand in hand with the Nigeria Customs Service but that does not mean we cannot check their excesses which we all know, the right thing must be done.
”We are going to work hand in hand with all the terminal operators, Service Providers, Shipping Companies and so on including all government agencies. Like I said, that does not mean any either service provider, terminal operators who does not do the right thing, we are going to , because we are working in collaboration with National Assembly, Nigeria Customs Service, government security agencies to make sure things are done right.”.
On the issue of transfer of License, he said, “It will be stopped henceforth. No any license will be transfered to anybody except that company and anybody that has job and he wants to do his job, he has to identify himself with a particular company so that the issue of agent Swindled importer, agent abandoned importers property at the port, all that will no longer be there so that we will have somebody responsible.
”Some of the so called agent out there, the moment they commit crime, you will no longer see them again. They will leave the liability to the agency to which they stamped. That is why most of the agencies must have been blacklisted because of issues like this. So we want to check that also. This is part of our responsibility,
”One of our responsibility is ensuring hundred percent compliance to trade rules, checkmating the excesses of government agencies, terminal operators and shipping companies.
”We intend to have the Compliance Committee in other chapters. Lagos chapter Committee have members and sub committee. They would see to the activities going on in the ports and if there’s an issue, they will inform us.”
On issue of collaboration, he said, “We are collaborating with NAGAFF and other Sister associations. This time around, we are going to speak with one voice. Whatever ANLCA says it stands, whatever NAGAFF says stands. The issue of divide and rule will no longer be there because we have seen it all and we are tired.
“That issue with the shipping companies is part of the issue we are going to contend with because that their artificial network, no network for this or that, for them to be extorting money from our members will no longer be acceptable to us.”
Photo: 100% ANLCA Compliance Committee Chairman, Alhaji Lameen Aliyu
