The Customs Consultative Committee (CCC) has commended the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on its exceptional performance in enforcing import regulations and generating revenue under the National Strategic Economic Development Plan (NSEDP).
While commending the NCS, the Committee also stressed the need to prioritise training of Customs officials to enable the Service maintain the excellent standards.
In a statement disseminated by the Secretary to CCC, Dr. Eugene Nweke on Monday, the group acknowledged the NCS’s achievements in intercepting prohibited and restricted imports, including unregistered pharmaceuticals and expired margarines, at the Apapa Port Command.
“The seizure of eleven containers with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N921,021,213 is a testament to the service’s commitment to national security and economic growth.
“The CCC appreciates the leadership of the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, and other officials for their vision and commitment to excellence. Their leadership has been instrumental in driving the service’s performance and ensuring the effective implementation of the NSEDP.
“As a prompt advisory towards the sustenance of this momentum, the CCC hereby offers the following recommendations: provide ongoing training and capacity-building programs for NCS officers; foster stronger relationships with stakeholders to promote compliance and trade facilitation; continuously refine risk assessment protocols; leverage advanced technologies; organize workshops, seminars, and awareness campaigns to educate the trading public on the provisions and implications of the new Customs Act 2023,” the statement read in part.
The group encouraged NCS to reinforce the 7Cs of Customs (Courtesy, Competence, Consistency, Compliance, Control, Communication, and Compliance) and uphold the principles of the Alushta Declaration on Customs Integrity.
Meanwhile, it posited that an upgrade on the server infrastructure and bandwidth is needed to support the B’Odogwu platform for seamless transactions and minimized system downtime.
