Cargo Examination: Customs loses confidence in seaport commands

BY: Justice Godfry

Fresh facts have emerged that the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col Hameed Ali (Rtd) may have passed a vote of no confidence on Customs Area Controllers (CAC) of all seaport Customs commands concerning 100percent cargo examination processes, even as he recently empowered a special team; ‘CG Strike Force’, to be involved in cargo examinations in the ports and to make seizures inside the ports without hindrances.

According to an internal memo of the NCS dated 25th of April 2019 and signed by Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, A Chidi, DCG (E,I&I) on behalf of the Customs Comptroller General, the NCS management lamented that 100percent examination of cargoes at the ports are not been done properly by officers of the seaport commands, hence the need for drastic adjustment.

The memo contained in a circular EII/2019/CIRCULAR NUMBER 002, titled ‘100% Examination of Cargo at the Ports’, which was sighted by Tribune Online over the weekend, states that: “It has been observed that 100% examinations of cargoes at the ports are not done properly by the officers assigned to do so.

 “Consequently, the following instructions must be carried out with immediate effect and Customs Area Controllers will personally be held responsible for noncompliance.

“Henceforth, every Customs Area Controller must respond accordingly to Strike Force intervention Alerts.

“The Strike Force team has been authorised henceforth to intervene right in the ports.

“Noncompliance to this circular will attract severe sanctions” the circular concluded.

It would be recalled that a group of concerned freight forwarders and agents had issued a strike ultimatum on the Customs CG to withdraw the Strike Force from the ports, claiming that their activities are hindering the free flow of cargo evacuation from the ports.