NAGAFF Picks Holes In Reforms Strategy Of CG Ali

mms plusDecember 8, 2015

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The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has picked holes in the strategy employed by the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) Hameed Ibrahim Ali to reform, restructure and increase revenue collection in accordance to the change mantra mandate of President Muhammadu Buhari.

According to a statement made public by the National Chairman on Anti – Corruption of the association, Fwdr. Increase Uche, “We are ready to support your administration in the operation of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the implementation of your mandate to restructure, reform and enhance revenue in a most responsible and constructive manner.

“It is therefore our thinking that under the circumstance, Except for goods falling under absolute prohibition, the focus of your administration should be aimed at restructure, reform and collection of appropriate revenue on importation other than seizure of trade goods over minor infringements. We believe that your task is very simple and straight forward. In our opinion, what you should do is to ensure proper Customs examination of imports and exports with a view to ensuring transparency and accountability in revenue collection functions of the Service.” He said.

He urged Ali to direct all area commands to go all out to ensure collection of appropriate revenue due to the Government. Adding that where there are infractions with regard to untrue declaration of imports, the traded goods should be assessed and penalty imposed for such untrue declarations.

Furthermore the Increase stated, “For the avoidance of doubt it is a fact that matters of untrue declaration are acts of smuggling. In other words, the punishment by law for those importers coming through unapproved routes who are believed to be smugglers are not different from imports of related offenses such as concealment, false declarations, under declaration, wrong description of imports, over invoicing and under invoicing etc entering into Nigeria through the seaports, airports and border locations.

He noted, “All these negative acts are against CEMA law and attracts the same or almost the same penalty which shall include but not limited to seizure, detention, prosecution, jail terms etc for the offenders. Corruption is in the increase due to improper Customs examination. If the Customs examiners are patriotic and professional in the actions, the valuation unit shall resolve all disputed matters of classification and value question with ease.

He enthused, “The local alert of the officers of Tincan Island Port (TCIP) is an epitome of the system of corruption within Customs operations. The impunity and the arrogance with which they do their job is unbecoming of a civil servant. It is a reality that those who do not know Customs Area Controller (CAC) Jibrin in person will think that Deputy Controller (DC) Saidu is the Comptroller of TCIP. To address issues of corruption, the need to simplify processes and procedures are very important because the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) regime is becoming a failure at the moment. Re-routing, fake password disputes, local alerting, stoppage of released and exited cargo at the gates, frivolous value assessment, improper Customs examination and duplication of functions have been the channels of heavy system corruption at the ports which are basically associated with human element and greed.