Edike at ANLCA
ACG EDIKE Visits ANLCA, Calls for greater Cooperation towards Trade Facilitation
In continuation of his visitations and engagement with stakeholder, Assistant Controller General of Customs, ACG, Charles Edike was at the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents, ANLCA, to know what their challenges are and resolve.
Members of ANLCA told the zonal coordinator that here is an urgent need to decentralize the issuance of license renewal from Abuja headquarters to the operational Zones, in the spirit of the new dispensation of the making the zones effectively in control of commands within the zone.
Other issues raised were the blocking of licenses without recourse to the owners, the menace of camp boys/touts in the ports, intimidation of agents by Customs officers/security agencies. They also requested sponsoring of agents’ training and retraining and protested what they called double standard displayed in the issuance of value of vehicles by valuation units.
ANLCA members pleaded for the stemming of containers to lilypond and KLT commands and tasked customs to assist in protecting customs licenses from fraudulent use.
Responding, ACG Charles Edike, first commended ANLCA and its leadership for the sustained cooperation with the Nigeria Customs Service over the years, hoping that the focus on Customs by the Federal Government of Nigeria, for more revenue, shall be collectively achieved. He stated that with God, and hard work, the revenue target will be surpassed…more at www.maritimenig.com
The ACG urged all agents to always speak up against injustice, and resist intimidations. He emphasized though, that those who come to equity must come with clean hands. Those offended, therefore, must stop at nothing to get justice. Having been CAC in several commands in Lagos, and some sensitive Customs units, like valuation, he advised Agents to always be sure of their declarations, and confront any officer who tries to intimidate them, in the course of delivering their jobs.
On the touting in the ports, he directed such to be tabled before the CACs for resolution. If it fails, his office should be approached thereafter, for him to wade in.
He pleaded that with the current Federal dispensation, transparency in the business of declarations and cargo clearance must be done on the table, with all cards placed face up.
