By Uzor Odigbo
Tin Can Island Command has decried the consistent drop on vehicles importation into the country through the seàports.
Customs Area Controller,Tin Can Island Command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi who disclosed this during a meeting with members of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), lamented that the downward trend of such commodities started between 2018 to 2021 with about 32,000 units of both new and used vehicles imported into the port .
According to him, further lull on vehicles import declined in 2022 with 6,000 units. In 2023, it further dropped to 4,000 units.
Nnadi also attributed the lull to global economy downturn, forex scarcity, CBN policy under Godwin Emefiele and war in Ukraine, adding that the Nigeria Customs Service has been struggling to generate revenue for the federal government due to sagging cargo throughput.
The Customs chief reiterated that some vehicles have been imported into some of the port terminals when the exchange rate was about N470 per dollar, noting that such vehicles are stock at the terminals without been cleared by the owners.
He lamented that imported vehicles clearance are mostly done by younger freight forwarders but expressed hope that the situation would soon normalise under the leadership of the acting Comptroller General of Customs, Wale Adeniyi.
Apparently dissatisfied with the situation, the Area Controller said both freight forwarders and customs personnel are faced with the constraints on how revenue can be collected adding that drop in cargoes importation remains major problem.
Highlighting some major steps to the solution on how to boost revenue collection, Comptroller Nnadi urged the trade public to ensure honest declaration on their consignments adding that false declaration must be avoided in furtherance to encourage trade facilitation.
On revenue profile for the year, Nnadi expressed hopes to achieving the N350billion target set aside by the government, calling on shippers and freight forwarders to patronise Tin Can Island Port while importing cargoes into the country.
“I promise on behalf of my officers that we will ensure smooth trade facilitation and you know that If I don’t meet my target then we all have failed . Am appealing to your members to please patronise my port so that we can all celebrate when we surpassed the target’, ‘ Comptroller Nnadi told the gathering of ANLCA members.
Furthermore, Nnadi described himself as a team player, promising to work closely with the freight forwarding association while describing the current management of customs led by acting CGC Wale Adeniyi as a goal oriented officer.
On the solution, Nnadi harped on maximising of integrity urging freight agents to ensuring honest declaration when PAAR and other genuine documentation intact.
Earlier, National President of ANLCA, Mr. Emenike Nwokeoji stated that the visit was significant saying that Nnadi had advised members of the association to conduct a peaceful and credible ANLCA elections.
He called on the Area Controller to look inward and engage management of the service on the need to review the 15 % National Automotive Council (NAC) levy, saying it is inimical to freight forwarders mostly as it affects young agents that engage in vehicle clearance.
Nwokeoji affirmed that the association will help to eliminate anything that will lead to embarrassment, praying that the revenue target will be achieved before the end of November