Low Turnout At Customs Forum

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area 1 Command, recently witnessed a low turnout at its monthly stakeholders’ forum as major stakeholders in the industry were absent.

The reason for the low turnout, according to some stakeholders, who spoke to newsmen, said it might be due to the delayed implementation of some major resolutions reached at previous meetings. Notable among such resolutions they said is the one stop shop examination of cargoes.

Area Comptroller of the command, Comptroller, Idris Suleiman, however, advised that each of the meetings should focus on a particular issue and ensure that resolutions reached are implemented.

“I have received a lot of complaints that the forum takes a lot of time and so many people miss important appointments. We have taken that into consideration and that is why we have taken only one issue, which is the examination timetable so that when we get it right, we will then implement it. By next meeting, we take another issue and feedbacks on the implementation of the examination timetable,” Suleiman said.

Chairman of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Apapa Chapter, Mr. John Ofobike, however, said that personal interest of some agencies at the ports had impeded the early resolution of the joint examination timetable. “If we have this schedule for examination and people are not coming to work on time, it will affect whatever we are going to do. We should do everything to fast-track the release of cargo at the port; time is of essence,” he said.