Steve Agbota
The Tin Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded a total 269,819.5 tons of export, with Free On Board (FOB), value of N130.186 billion in 2019 as against the total tonnage of 254,762.77 tons with a total FOB value of N145,322 billion in 2018.
The Controller of the Command, Comptroller Mba Musa, stated this while rolling out the scorecard of the command for the year 2019, He said the command was able to achieve the feast through the sensitization of stakeholders and aspiring exporters on the need to take advantage of the potentials inherent in export trade.
To this effect, he explained that the command recorded an increase in the quantity of export in 2019.
However, he assured that the command would continue to sensitize and encourage export as a means of attaining balance of trade for the interest of the nation.
Speaking on trade facilitation, he said, “trade facilitation is a key component of the building blocks of the World Customs Organization arising from the KYOTO Convention and the SAFE framework of standard, other international treaties of Customs administrations and World Trade Organization (WTO). This is further domesticated with the presidential directive on ease of doing business initiative.
“As an eloquent testimony and our renewed enthusiasm to enhance our efficiency, the Command, during the period under reference, articulated various trade facilitation initiatives, which have been instituted as part of our Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) including the use of barge for movement of cargo.”
consequently, he said the Command developed a more cordial working relationship with critical stakeholders through constant engagement. Similarly, he said a re-invigorated Dispute Resolution Committee was constituted to deal expeditiously with disputes arising from valuation, classification, PAAR, Rules of Origin among others.
He hinted that importers or their agents are encouraged to take advantage of the availability of bond facility to take delivery of their consignments where disputes persisted. “Further to the above is the “Tme Release Studies” a means of assessing the performance of officers in the 48 hours cargo clearance trade value chain, with the aim of identifying areas of avoidable delays by the personnel and ways of forestalling it.