Licensed Customs Agents Partner Onne Customs to Tackle Importation of Illicit Products 

Blessing Ibunge in Port Harcourt 

The Nigeria Customs Service Area 2 Command, Onne, Rivers State, said it is partnering Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) in  tackling the menace of importation of illicit drugs and other products in the state.

The Comptroller of Area II Command, Onne, Mohammed Babandede, disclosed this while speaking with journalists, after he received the National President of ANLCA, Mr. Emenike Nwokeoji who was on official visit to the state chapter of the association at the Onne Seaport.

Babandede noted that the Customs personnel are working with the agents to achieve a maximal operation at the seaport.

He said, “Always the Service is willing to collaborate or work together with the forwarders. As you have listened to what I told them earlier, they should sensitise other members and also their importers about the need for them to jack-up the integrity of the organisation.

“In as much as the integrity is high, that will make it possible for us to facilitate their trade. But if the integrity is low, then there will be issues. And that is the only way to work in harmony, peace and you also remembered the CGC’s policy of trust, which is collaboration, consolidation and innovation. We are working hand-in-hand with them in order to ensure maximal operations.”

Speaking on the state of emergency earlier declared by the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, on the seaport, Babandede said “It has really worked and has helped us to carry our job without any hindrance. 

It has also ensured that the Port is sanitised. When you look at it, the volume of seizures has dropped drastically. It means compliance has started to go up and that is one of the advantages of the state of emergency.”

THISDAY observed that the ANLCA President alongside members of his entourage also visited the managements of the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA), West Africa Container Terminal (WACT) and Onne Multipurpose Terminal (OMT).

At WACT, the President inaugurated a waiting bay built by WACT for use by ANLCA members working within their Terminal.

At the OMT, the national president of ANLCA urged the management to improve on their services, especially, on positioning of containers for examinations and maintenance on roads leading to the terminal.

The state chairman of ANLCA, Ifeanyi Isikaku, explained that the national president was in the state to introduce the newly elected executive members of the group to various managements in the seaport.

He said, “Today, he did not just introduce us to the management of the customs, we also went to the NPA, West Africa Continental Terminal and Onne Multipurpose Terminal.”

Speaking on the Customs partnership with the ANLCA, Isikaku said “If you listened to his (Babandede) speech, he said he has saved over 101 containers since he came to Onne, which is a big feat that not everybody can achieve. And as a chapter chairman, I am coming to help him because we are also talking about security and public health.

“We are going to support him to fight against importation of illicit drugs and other products through the Onne Sea Port. And together we will ensure that we build a nation that everybody will be proud of.”

Noting that the priority of his members is very important, Isikaku advised them “keep up doing things that will be law abiding, they should not involve in anything that will affect the national security, the public health because nobody knows whose family will be victims to the illicit act.”