Emeka Okoroanyanwu
Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi has inaugurated a committee on disposal of overtime cargo at the ports.
The committee which was to be headed by a senior officer from the Customs Service was inaugurated on Wednesday at the Nigeria Customs Service headquarters in Abuja.
The inauguration was in line with the new Customs Act which empowers the NCS to dispose of cargoes that have exceeded their allotted time within the ports.
Adeniyi said decongesting the ports is a prime function of the Nigeria Customs Service, and is in line with President Ahmed Bola Tinubu’s resolve to increase efficiency in Nigerian ports and improve trade facilitation.
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“It’s worth noting that approximately six months ago, the new NCS Act received the former President Mohammed Buhari’s signature, ushering in substantial modifications to the previous protocols governing the disposal of overtime cargo,” the CGC stated.
According to him, the provision of the NCS Act 2023 mandated that the disposal of cargo exceeding its allotted time can only occur through a court order.
“The Act also stipulates that goods must be disposed of through public auction or tender, to be widely publicized in advance through national newspapers, television, and the service’s official website,” he explained.
Over 7,000 overtime containers are reported to have over stayed across all the ports in the country.
“We have containers that have been there for over ten years, occupying economic space for which we are unable to dispose. So this is a significant relief for our operations. We are delighted that we have reached a point where we can begin to remove some of these lingering containers and overdue cargo from the port,” an official of the Nigerian Ports Authority reacted yesterday.
In his remarks, Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, in charge of Human Resources Development, Greg Itotoh, affirmed that with the support of the Nigerian Ports Authority, the changes and new procedures will ensure more streamlined trade operations.
The port decongestion committee will be chaired by a senior officer from the Nigeria Customs Service.
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Other members include representatives from the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Nigerian Police Force, the Department of State Service (DSS), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the National Agency for Food, Drugs and Control, a representative of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, among others.
