Aminu Dahiru, Assistant Comptroller General of Customs and Zonal Coordinator for Zone A said this in Lagos at a meeting with them during his maiden working tour of Ports Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML
 Dahiru inspecting the newly commissioned one stop shop dispute resolution centre
Dahiru said it is imperative for them to imbibe a character of improved compliance to extant Customs Laws by arming themselves with adequate Information about tariff, port charges and other levies or fees before embarking on importations of any kind.
He frowned at a situation where importations are made only for consignees and their agents to begin a process of sourcing funds for clearing after the goods have arrived the ports.
Dahiru said it does not encourage trade facilitation and not in sync with global best practice on how ports are used all over tge the world.
He reminded them that with the port concession regime, management of port spaces are no longer exclusively with Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) as private port operators pursue strict adherence to clearing timelines with additional charges for delayed consignments on their spaces.
Dahiru, who also visited the Tincan Island Port Command, commissioned a newly opened one stop dispute resolution centre domiciled inside the Command Headquarters of Tin Can Island Port Command.
He commended the initiative as outstanding and described it as a timely intervention that should be emulated by othet Customs Commands facing similar issues of dispute resolution
The centre, according to Customs Area Controller of Tincan Port, Comptroller Musa Baba Abdullahi will serve as a quick dispute resolution office to be manned by proper officers resolving issues with speed.
The centre is intended to facilitate trade in line with government’s Ease of Doing Business policy, reduce delays, promote productivity and enhance collection of government revenue
The centre is fitted with ICT aided screen to show transparency and orderliness as cases will be treated on first come first served basis.
Dahiru urged officers to stay vigilant at all times to prevent unlawful importations, illegal concealments and revenue loss.
“Always update your knowledge. You need knowledge not only to collect revenue but to generate revenue too. It is your knowledge that will help to uncover whatever declarants are hiding away.
“The largest room in the world is the room for improvement. Continue to improve on your good works and shun any form of greed and disloyalty. Improve also in capacity building because management has put in place courses for different cadre of officers
“Take advantage of these courses whenever you are called upon as they will prepare you better for the job and tasks ahead.
“Loyalty should be total. That is what we were taught. Don’t give 99.9 percent loyalty. It should be hundred percent to the Nigerian cause
“Collecting money to allow illicit drugs arms and unlawful imports is like taking cursed money. Such acts borne out of greed are capable of destroying the country and her youths. Avoid
