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NCJTFLCA decries customs' duplication of container checks, harassment by hoodlums

The National Compliance Joint Task Force of License Clearing Agents (NCJTFLCA) on Sunday decried unrestrained duplication of checks of containers cleared by customs authorities at different points in Lagos before getting to destination.

Dr Basil Nwolisa, the National President, NCJTFLCA in an interview with the newsmen in Lagos said this has resulted to financial loss and delay in meeting delivery target.

Nwolisa said that the practice had negated the ease of doing business idea being championed by the Federal Government.

The atrocities of men of Federal Operating Unit (FOU) can not be explained because it is a double standard.

“How can a senior officer of Customs release a consignment and then, just very close to the port, a low ranking officer of FOU will apprehend the container and take it to their headquarters.

“Sometimes they will hold the container for about three weeks or one month. At the end of the day, the container would be seized.

“How can a senior officer release a consignment while a junior officer from FOU seized it outside the port.

“At times, they used to give us additional payment or seized the containers,” he said.

The president also highlighted that if any container is wrongly released by a senior officer & a junior officer confiscated the same container, it is imperative that the Customs should get the senior officer arrested also for wrongly releasing of container.

“If the container is wrongfully released, it is the official that should be arrested and questioned and made to pay for the short payment” he said.

Nwolisa said that the annoying part was that after being released by FOU, on the way Aba, Onitsha and Umuahia, another enforcement union like South-West Unit of Customs would stop the container for another round of examinations.

”In most cases, nothing is wrong with your container but one rarely leaves the scene without parting with money after time wasting. Sometime, it takes a whole month.” he said.

The National President of NCJTFLCA told the authorities of the customs to call their men to order because their activities were portraying the current administration in bad light.

“They are scaring away investors in their bid to make hot cash. More so, this is against the anti-corruption stance of President Bola Tinubu’s administration,’’ he stated.

NCJTFLCA President called on the Comptroller General of Customs, CGC Basir Adewale Adeniyi to work on these duplication of duties by his men to encourage trade facilitation and ease of doing business in the country.

The President said that their dully checked containers used to be blocked by hoodlums immediately they were passed by authorities at the ports.

According to him, the case of criminal element operating in the highway, blocking already cleared goods, exposing the goods to damage and destruction is annoying.

“Hoodlums within Ojo communities working for their Baales used to surround our trucks when they are going to Lagos Trade Fair and Ojo Alaba International markets, demanding huge amounts of money from drivers before they can allow the trucks to leave the area.

“They used to attack the drivers and container owners with sticks, broken bottles and other dangerous weapons if they are not settled on time,” he said.

He called on the present administration to wave into the matter of blockage of road by hoodlums preventing them to move to their destination.

The President urged the Commissioner of Police Lagos State and Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety to partner with Association to end the use of one way on the highways in Lagos considering the heavy presence of container laden trucks on these roads .

“The use of one way by commercial motorcycle and some commercial buses should be stopped by the Nigeria Police and men of Federal Road Safety.

“This has resulted to series of accidents on our highway, there should be sanity on our roads. The use of way must be stopped,” he said.

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Written by Jude Diugwu

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