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Customs to blacklist 243 licences over duty evasion

By Sulaimon Salau
28 August 2016   |   4:30 am
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has threatened to blacklist about 243 clearing licenses for infractions in duty payment on some containers cleared in the last two years.
Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Retired Col. Hameed Ali.

Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Retired Col. Hameed Ali.

Freight Forwarders Describe Threat As Mischievous

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has threatened to blacklist about 243 clearing licenses for infractions in duty payment on some containers cleared in the last two years.

The Ports and Terminal Multiservices L‎imited (PTML) command of the Nigeria Customs Service, in a public notice at the terminal, revealed that some of the agencies and their consignees were owing customs between N14 and N15 million each, as unpaid duty which are yet to be reconciled.

The notice issued by the Post Clearance Audit (PCA) department of the command, said the consignments were cleared between 2014 and 2016.

However, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) in a petition, to the Comptroller General, NCS, Hammed Ali on Friday, said the threats to blacklist or block access of licenses to the operations by the Nigeria Customs is a ‘mischief’.

The Customs notice reads:  “The following consignees and declarant should‎ report to PCA unit at PTML Customs in respect of differences in their SGD and PAAR values within seven days. Failure to do so will compel the service to suspend both the consignee and the declarant from the Automated System for Customs Data (ASYCUDA) platform.”

The affected licenses are; Pajerry Nigeria Limited, Chrisben, Tripple Kay, Fountain Olives, Edlyna Ventures Limited, Eliton, Citi-Ade Nigeria Limited, Vester Lee Nigeria Limited, Walin Waziri and Sons Investments, Dabra Freight, Hont Global.Double Crown Services, DHL Global Forwarding Limited, MGM Logistics, Ben Moore, Bolagbade Nigeria Limited, Efglo Nigeria, Maritime Solutions, Trans Atlantic Nigeria Limited, AAA Logistics Limited among others.

Meanwhile, NAGAFF’s petition signed by its Secretary General, Arthur Igwilo, said the case is surprising, but urged the CGC to embrace justice and fairness by investigating and sanctioning all parties involved in the scam, including the conniving Customs officers.

It said: “It is surprising that imports cleared out of Customs control duly examined and released, are being recalled by the Post Audit officers to the extent of blocking agency licenses allegedly in default of Customs duty. “

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