Customs agents urge Tinubu to reform clearance process

THE National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents ( NCMDLCA) has called on President Bola Tinubu to urgently reform the clearance process for unentered and overtime goods at Nigeria 's ports and government warehouse in Ikorodu, Lagos. This appeal was articulated in a detailed letter addressed to the president, which was also sent to the Secretar y to the Government of the Federation, the Minister of Finance, and the Nigeria Customs Service ( NCS). The President of NCMDLCA, Lucky Amiwero, signed the letter, highlighting a series of systemic issues that contribute to the congestion of unentered/ overtime goods. These include inadequate infrastructure, lingering COVID- 19 restrictions, and inefficient dispute resolution mechanisms at ports. Additional problems such as poor roa d conditions, excessive procedures, charges by port operators, and the lack of efficient scanning machines were cited as exacerbating the backlog and abandonment of goods.

These issues not only cause significant delays but also lead to containers being abandoned, which results in revenue losses for both the government and importers. Amiwero emphasised the need for a fair and orderly clearance procedure that would offer importers and licensed customs agents the initial opportunity to clear goods before considering them for public auction. Referencing legal statutes, the letter pointed out that goods deposited in government warehouses unclaimed before April 2023 should follow normal customs clearance procedures, as outlined in Section 97 of the relevant act.

Ami wero proposed the formation of an expert committee dedicated to evaluating and resolving the causes of cargo abandonment to facilitate more efficient goods clearance at ports.