Concerned exporters and traders operating at Apapa port have decried the illegal exportation of unprocessed wood and wet skin (Donkey skin) through the port corridors.
Those who spoke with Daily Sun at Apapa recently alleged that the unprocessed wood and Donkey skin were moved in barges to the port at night for exportat, in a moved considered illegal and against the government’s economyicdiversification agenda.
However, the traders accused Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Customs Apapa Command, Export Seat, and an Assitant Comptroller, for signing documents that allowed such prohibitive items to be exported out of the port.
The concerned traders said the exportation of the wet skin and unprocessed wood are against the Presidential Order on Trade Facilitation which means the items are prohibited. They argued that the OC Customs in charge of export is allowing the produce to be going out of the country, which government said must be processed before leaving the country. They said for instance, donkey skin must be dried very well so as to create jobs for Nigerians rather than being exported in unprecessed form.
They said: “You can’t kill donkey and crocodiles and export their skins. You must dry it very well so as to create jobs. But the OC is allowing people to push these items out of the country.
With respect to wood export, they just pulled down the trees and cut into different parts, put it inside containers and export it without processing.”
They however, urged the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hammed Ali, through the Apapa Area Comptroller to call the OC in charge of Export at Apapa Customs Command to order and stop him from sabotaging the nation’s economy.
Reacting to the allegation at the Export Unit, Apapa Customs Command, NA Ochai said the allegation was baseless and unfounded adding that some exporters do not have documents to back their produce for export, which Customs is not ready to compromise or allow them to export whatever they like.
He added: “I have always taken my stance since I came here on not allowing goods not properly documented or goods with no proper declarations to be exported out of the port. That is why they are looking for means to blackmail me. There are some consignments, which we do not allow to be loaded inside containers for export because they don’t have proper documents.