The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has commended the ingenuity of the Tin Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) following the recent commencement of night scanning of containers and weekend operations at the port.
ANLCA Vice President, Prince Segun Oduntan pledged the support of the association when he inspected the nighttime operations and paid a courtesy visit on the Customs Area Controller, Tin Can Customs, Comptroller Dera Nnadi mni, on Tuesday night.
The veteran freight forwarder stated that he would speak to his members and educate them on the need to embrace the night operations introduced by Comptroller Nnadi and the weekend operations of the Customs.
Oduntan identified the spots inspected by the ANLCA Vice President to include the Tin Can Releasing Desk, Scanning site, Ashaye and the exit gate where customs officers were seen to be busy working.
Prince Oduntan lamented that due to the forthcoming yuletide, gridlock is gradually returning to Tin Can Port corridor and this has led to hike in haulage charges.
“We are going to talk to our members and tell our people that there’s a new innovation that is in town. I hear that part of the complaint is that the freight forwarders aren’t coming. There was an era where our members suffered a lot to bring out trucks from this port, that era is gradually returning.”
“Now, due to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Eto Call-Up racketeering, the cost of haulage has increased, the haulage cost that came down as low as N250,000 and N300,000 has now increased to N800,000 and N1.2 million. ANLCA is ready to buy into and give assistance to the Tin Can Island Customs Command. You are starting this now, and you are like in the Pilot Phase, definitely, all others will follow suit,” Oduntan stated.
In his response, Tin Can Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Dera Nnadi mni, stressed that Nigerian ports are supposed to operate 24hours just like other ports of the world.
His words: “The world does not sleep when it comes to port operations. While port operatots and port users are sleeping in Nigeria, somebody in China is awake loading container. When China is sleeping, Europe and America is awake loading containers. So it behooves on us to also be awake 24 hours to receive and to exit these containers.”
“In Nigeria, ship side operation is 24 hours. Certain aspects of the ship side operation is 24 hours. Certain aspects of custom work like enforcement and gate operations is 24 hours. But the nation has not or is yet to attain the level where basic operations like delivery of import loading cargo is achieved in the night.”
Comptroller Nnadi disclosed that on the first night, his team scanned 56 containers and following the success, Customs officers scanned until 2 a.m. before stopping on the next nighttime operation.
“Now, let us get those who enforce delivery of cargo outside the ports to work overnight too. We have started it, and it is working. We also introduced weekend operation. The weekend Owanbe mentality for port stakeholders should stop. Officers and freight forwarders and indeed all port operators should come to work on Saturdays and Sundays to help ease operations at the port.”
“If you don’t come to work Saturdays and Sundays shipping companies and terminal operators would collect their money, they collect their due money. There is no exemption for weekends,” he added.
Nnadi assured that the Customs Command has held a meeting with NPA and the port landlord promised security and lighting required for seamless night and weekend operations.
