In this interview, the Acting President of Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Dr Kayode Farinto, expresses support for modernisation of Nigeria Customs Service. He, however, averred that Nigeria did not need to engage a fresh company at whopping sum of $3.1 billion to be borrowed from World Bank to achieve the desired result. PAUL OGBUOKIRI reports
How will you describe the operation of VREG since it came into operation in the country?
For you to access any new system, it will take a minimum of 90 days. But because this has to do with trade, we thought that if there’s any delay, the multiplier effect goes to the final consumer in terms of storage charges and demurrages. I would say VREG or VIN valuation is on and has not been totally successful.
There are two categories of vehicles. We have the standard chassis vehicles and the non-standard chassis vehicles. When you input the chassis number of the standard chassis vehicles, the VIN recognises it, bringing out the history of the vehicle.
So far, so good. I think that is going on well for now except, the non-standard chassis that needs human contacts; where you’ll need to write to the Controllers and go to the Valuation unit to seek assessment. This is being done haphazardly and has not been going smoothly.
We are imploring the Nigerian Customs management team to as a matter of urgency see how they can speed up on the issue of non-standard chassis vehicles so that it would start working like the standard chassis vehicles where you just go to the system and get your value assessment. I will also use this medium to plead with the Federal Government to review the age policy of these vehicles.
If you look at the 12-year policies of these vehicles, it implies that legitimately, only vehicles from 2011 can be allowed to come to Nigeria. Then what happens to the vehicles of 2009 or 2008? You will agree with me that even a common man will not be able to afford a 2009 vehicle in view of the current price in the market.
The fact that you have a 2009 vehicle, the system forces you to pay a duty for 2011 or 2012. So, we want the government to review the issue of the auto policy because 2009 vehicles are still new vehicles and how many people can afford them?
We should also consider that there are some of our youths; the moment they leave the University, they would want to be self-employed and they go into Uber business for commercial services. They may not be able to afford these categories of vehicles again if the government insists on the 12 years’ auto policy.
What is your take on the proposed automation of the Nigeria Customs Service?
I look at it as one of the mistakes this government is making, and it is very unfortunate for a government that is fighting corruption. It is an act of nepotism. It is very unfortunate that it is happening during our era because we now have a situation whereby this government is signing jobs or settling the boys. I am an Apostle of the need for us to have indigenous engineers, who can partner with Nigerian Custom Service. Look at our weather now. We have been witnessing rain in the last few days.
Even the WebFontaine that was brought from an outsider is not a success. Many times, we have server downtime or what have you and nobody is challenging anybody for that. Bringing in a Chinese firm; saying they want to automate our Customs operations is a misnomer, an aberration and it is very wrong.
The issue of the e-Customs is the worst thing that will happen to the maritime industry. It is very unfortunate that even the company that started the MoU has issues and was jettisoned for a new company that was registered April 7th.
That alone is enough to send somebody to jail because due diligence was not done. Thank God people are in Court. Personally, I want to join that suit because it is my right because the future and generations yet unborn will ask us what actions we took when these things happened to the Maritime industry. It is better to take action, than sit on the fence.
We want the e-Customs or modernisation of Customs which we started doing in the era of the Late Dikko Inde (former CG of Customs) through the implementation of PAAR and e-payment. All we have to do is to look for an indigenous company, improve on whatever we have on ground and see how we dot the ‘i’ and cross the‘t’. But giving it to a Chinese company or a foreigner is neo-colonalisation.
Why do you think the Customs scanners are not working?
The issue about the equipment is very funny. I am waiting for Customs to say they want to implement that without putting all the things that they are supposed to put in place. I want to believe that customs are enjoying the 100 per cent examination of cargo, because of the physical contact and this is encouraging corruption; whether we like it or not.
On the issue of vehicles, we said we are tired and we want VIN valuation. We still have some Customs officers who are stopping this VIN valuation and who do not want it to succeed because of the fact that it is going to reduce this physical contact between the freight forwarder and the Customs officer by more than 70 per cent.
We even have situations where you pay what VIN valuation gives you and some overzealous officers who still want to be given bribes would put alerts on the consignments. That is why we said we are compiling the names of these categories of officers and we will forward it to the headquarters of Customs.
If nothing is done within one week, we would make it public to the whole world and forward it to the presidency. The issue of the deployment of scanner machines will have added value to the port. In the last month, I am one of those that led the committee on behalf of our association to the National Assembly to argue on the need for us to have scanner machines. Now, the scanners are available and the Customs is refusing to use them, which means something is happening somewhere. Somebody somewhere still wants us to rigmarole. It is very unfortunate.
Recently, one of your association members was arrested for drug importation. What do you have to say about this?
He was not arrested for drug importation. He is the freight forwarder or the Custom broker who in the cause of Customs examination, illicit drugs and psychotropic substances were found in his container and he was arrested.
We have told all freight forwarders to make sure that they sign Indemnity Form with their importers and to do due diligence by at least notarizing it.
Unfortunately, this was not done. He is not the importer of the consignment and we have told him to cooperate with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) by making sure that the importer comes out, so that he can be given bail. He is not the importer and he was not arrested for the importation of illicit or psychotropic drugs. At that time, he was the clearing agent and the law says he is the owner of that consignment until he is able to provide the importer, which I know he has to do in due time.
How have you been holding forth since you became the acting National President of ANLCA?
There is nothing spectacular about being an acting President. I am seeing myself as the vice president just holding the forth for our big ‘oga’ who is not around. This is a role I have played for some time before now and it is not a new thing to me. There is no challenge. I am used to it.
Do you enjoy the cooperation of the chapter and zonal executives?
Yes, they are cooperating. We call them for meetings to brief them on how far we have gone. Even at the Eastern zone, we are planning a Presidential tour which I am delaying because of the fact that there are too many works on the table for now. Very soon, we are going to embark on the Eastern tour. We have the cooperation of all the chapter executives.
You are the Chairman of the Educational committee of the CRFFN. What should we expect?
You should expect a lot. We have to do empowerment and capacity building. They accredited some institutions when I was the Chairman the first time. We will look into it and how far we have gone.
They gave accreditation to more institutions to offer freight forwarding and we encourage our members to be certified because in the next few months, if you are not certified, you cannot be able to practice freight forwarding. We would arrest anyone who is touting.
That is why we want to separate the wheat from the Chaff. This is why as a freight forwarder, you should know your responsibilities and where it ends. We are also going to discourage situations where a Customs officer posted from Gombe State will come with his camp boys and when they are going back, they do not take them along and he becomes a freight forwarder.
We are going to do a lot of sanitation and empowerment in the industry. I expect our members to come out for training to ensure they partake in the training which will be done free of charge.
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