Harboursandport.com: Lagos - The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), has said that it is imperative for traders and their freight forwarding agents to ensure honest declaration for Customs purposes.
In a statement, the Founder of NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, said that Customs examiners are also to ensure proper Customs examination and duty accounting.
Also, he advised the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to consult with Customs for input on trade rules formulation, adding that trade is the hub of any nation’s economic growth and development.
Aniebonam stated: “Let it be on record that the unpopular trade policy of the CBN delisting well over 41 traded goods from forex incentive did throw up matters of untrue declaration for Customs purposes into technical hitches. It is a trite trade regulation that all imports into Nigeria must be accompanied by a registered form M in any of the authorised commercial banks.
“Unfortunately CBN trade regulation does not consider the Customs laws in relation to goods shipped into Nigeria with incomplete documents as contained under Sections 27, 28, and 29 of the Customs and Excise Management Act.
“The inherent powers of the Customs laws to address such matters as an Act of the National Assembly are not in doubt. This is because the Customs laws are superior to an executive order on trade goods. What is playing out at the moment at Customs ports is that the CBN trade rules are in conflict with the destination inspection trade policy of the government which simply means that CBN trade rules have thrown up a non-compliance attitude among traders on matters of making a genuine declaration for Customs purposes.
“Delisting 41 items from forex incentive has placed such goods under prohibition list technically. Therefore, the urgent need for CBN to exercise restraint on fiscal policies cannot be over emphasised. Unfortunately, the Customs laws as superior legislation do not agree with the position of CBN on matters of delisting 41 trade goods from forex incentive as contained under Sections 27, 28, and 98 of CEMA.
“These avoidable circumstances indeed are the problems Customs may be facing in the ports' cargo clearance procedures. The irony of these uncoordinated trade rules and the deployment of pre-arrival assessment reports which is advisory leaves the Customs in a difficult situation to manage international trade in Nigeria.
“The good news is the tact with which the CAC of TCIP uses to ensure proper duty collection and facilitation of trade. Among others includes but is not limited to suppression of smuggling and enhancing industrial harmony. It is our hope that other area comptrollers should endeavour to emulate his ability and capacity to deploy the golden rule of the service in carrying out his statutory duty.
“And for the emphasis destination inspection simply means customs examination. Therefore, going forward is straight and unambiguous to ensure proper Customs examination of ladden containers and taking inventories for Customs purposes. The relevance or otherwise of the intervention forces of the service shall fizzle out naturally from the city roads and federal highways if only the operators and the Customs examiners are patriotic enough to do the right thing.
“The Federal Operation Unit (FOU) of the service shall continue to carry on with its statutory duty as an intervention force of the service. The right thing to do is for the traders and their freight forwarding agents to ensure honest declaration for Customs purposes. The Customs examiners are also to ensure proper Customs examination and duty accounting.
“CAC Kunle Oloyede is being encouraged to keep it up and every other stakeholder is hereby called to duty. Let's make Nigeria great once again while advising CBN to consult the customs for input on trade rules formulation. Trade is the hub of any nation’s economic growth and development and therefore the need for ensuring standard operating conditions cannot be overemphasised,” he said.
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