From left: Secretary of the Customs Consultative Committee, Fwdr Eugene Nweke Rff, Customs Area Controller, Tin Can Island Command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi mni receiving a copy of the Committee’s handbook from the Chairman, Aare Fwdr. Hakeem Olarenwaju Rff during the Comptroller’s working visit to the secretariat of the CCC in Apapa, Lagos, Monday.

Customs Area Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service, Tin Can Island Command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi mni has visited the Customs Consultative Committee CCC.

The CCC is an advisory body, which provides a link between the service and strategic stakeholders, especially on policy issues and port operational issues with a view to fostering a cordial relationship between Customs, which is statutorily charged with the responsibility of enforcing Federal Government’s fiscal policies and importers, freight forwarders and other stakeholders in the supply chain, who are directly affected by these policies.

On ground to play host to the visiting Comptroller were Chairman of the CCC, Aare Fwdr. Hakeem Olarenwaju Rff and Secretary, Fwdr Eugene Nweke Rff at the Apapa, Lagos secretariat of the Committee on January 22, 2024.

A statement by the Secretary of the Committee, Fwdr Nweke, said the working visit was in line with the robust stakeholders’ engagement policy of the current management of the service.

According to him, in the course of the working visit by the Comptroller, the CCC Chairman, drew his attention to the wider negative impact of the unstable foreign exchange regime on trade generally, and used the opportunity to enlighten the Comptroller on the workings of the CCC. He also made a case for broader areas of strategic consultations in order to redefine operational bottlenecks in the ports.

It was further gathered that the Chairman highlighted noticeable red tapes in the supply chain and recommended the eradication of such bureaucracies.  He also recommended other operational areas that could help in achieving policy goals of the Command in particular and the management of NCS in general.

Meanwhile, Comptroller Nnadi, who responded to the issues raised by the Chairman, reiterated that his courtesy visit is informed by his belief that responsible partnerships and collaborations are incomplete without strategic mobilisation and alliances, hence his visit to the CCC.

He insisted that the annual revenue target of the Customs requires deliberate cooperation and support of stakeholders, especially the trading public. He called for the support of CCC in achieving this for TCIP Command.

He however commended the CCC for its support to TCIP Command in 2023 while assuring the Committee that the management of the Command was committed to the implementation of the key resolutions reached at the recent stakeholders meeting held during the Comptroller General of Customs conference held December, 2023.

He equally insisted that the management would not leave any stone unturned in pursuance to its trade compliance and facilitation quest.

To this extent, he called on the trading public to sure up compliance in their trade transactions and requisite trade related applications via prompt documentation and honest declaration.

“Going forward, compliance to the rules by traders will be rewarded with prompt service delivery, while sanctions on trade irregularities and breaches will be meted to the defaulting trading public (importer /exporter and their representatives) as provided in the new Nigeria Customs Act 2023. Equally officers caught in the line of duty other than spotting and tackling trade infractions will as well be punished accordingly to achieve holistic and meaningful compliance.

“On the allegation that, the Service increased the benchmark for the surface payable Customs duty, let me reiterated that, at no time did the Service set nor increased any benchmark other than, the reality of the foreign exchange rate regime. Once the exchange rate drops, the payable surface Customs duty will as well drop”, the Comptroller said emphatically.

  The CCC Chairman however reassured the visiting Comptroller of the committee’s cooperation and support towards meeting set goals, especially the Command’s revenue target. A highpoint of the brief occasion was the presentation of the CCC handbook to the visiting Comptroller.