Customs, agents meet over realisation of N1trn target

By GODWIN ORITSE

THE management of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS)  last week met with the leadership of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA)  with a view to realizing the N1trillion target of import duty collection for the year 2012.

The meeting Vanguard  gathered, which was said to have been fruitful saw both parties blaming each for whatever shortcoming they would have had before now.

At the meeting, Customs’ Comptroller-General Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko said that  as Customs agents and trade facilitator,  both parties are nor being sincere to Nigerians and called on everyone in the cargo delivery chain to wake to his responsibility.

Dikko therefore appealed to agents to henceforth insist that importers pay correct duties and force them to be compliant when the need arises. He however blamed concessionaries for the delays currently being experienced at some terminal .

The Customs boss also noted that some of these terminal operators have r deficiency in cargo handling equipment and urged agents/brokers to focus on these deficiencies make report to the appropriate quarters.

ANLCA’s National President   Prince Olayiwola Shittu, commended  the Customs boss  initiating the meeting  which he said should be held regularly in order to sustain the cordial relationship, engender a mutually beneficial and harmonious environment of work and together aim at achieving the N1 trillion revenue into the coffers of the Federal government.

Shittu also complained of extortion by some Customs officers who make demand on agents in the process of issuing Demand Notices  and urged the head of Customs to look into it.