The Nigeria Customs Service(NCS) has continued to seek collaboration with stakeholders in its quest to facilitate trade and achieve its 2024 fiscal target.
Among the commands,Tin Can Island commands has shown a serious commitment to this cause.
Consequently, the Tin Can Island Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Dera Nnadi paid a courtesy visit to the members of the Customs Consultative Committee(CAC) in Lagos.
He was received by the Chairman, Customs Consultative Committee, Aare . Hakeem Olarenwaju and Dr. Eugene Nweke, Secretary.
The CCC Chairman drew the attention of the Controller to the negative impact of the unstable foreign exchange regime on trade generally.
Olarenwaju used the opportunity to enlighten the Comptroller on the workings of the CCC, while soliciting broader areas of strategic consultations in order to redefine operational bottlenecks in the ports.
The Chairman highlighted noticeable red tapes in the supply chain and recommended eradication of such.
He made recommendations for achieving policy goals of the Command in particular and the management of NCS in general.
In his response, the visiting Comptroller reiterated that his courtesy visit was informed by his belief that responsible partnerships and collaborations are incomplete without strategic mobilization and alliances, hence his visit to the CCC.
The Controller said that the annual revenue target of the Customs requires deliberate cooperation and the support of stakeholders, especially the trading public.
He called for the support of CCC in achieving this for TCIP Command.
Nnadi commended the CCC for their support to TCIP Command in 2023, adding that the management of the Command remains committed to the implementation of the key resolutions reached at the recent stakeholders meeting held during the Comptroller General of Customs conference 2023.
He 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 shore up compliance in their trade transactions and requisite trade related applications via prompt documentation and honest declaration.
He noted that going forward compliance 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 representative) as provided in the new Nigeria Customs Act 2023.
He said equally that 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, Nnadi reiterated that, at no time did the Service set or increased any benchmark other than, the reality of the foreign exchange rate regime, insisting that, once, the exchange rate drops, the payable surface Customs duty will as well drop.
The CCC Chairman reassured the visiting Comptroller of the committee’s cooperations and support towards meeting set goals, especially the Command revenue target, and presented the CCC handbook to him.
