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| Mr Hassan Bello, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council |
The
tradition of trade malpractices in Nigerian ports through which the government
loses so much revenue would soon be over with the planned introduction of
advanced cargo information system, otherwise known as Cargo Tracking Note
(CTN), the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC), Mr Hassan
Bello, has said.
Bello who played host to the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service
(NCS), Col Hameed Ali (rtd) who visited the Council, said he was optimistic
that all fraudulent practices, such as cases of under-declaration of goods and
concealment would be checked once CTN is introduced.
Describing the conduct of shippers involved in under-declaration and
concealment, as an act of tax evasion, the Shippers Council boss said the
advanced cargo information system will check this trend and in turn increase
revenue generation from the ports .
Bello also said CTN will provide a credible data and has the benefits of
security of cargoes being imported into the country.
With advanced information of the cargoes before they arrive the country unlike
the current situation where everyone has to wait for the manifest, he said
cargo clearance would be faster since all the service providers would have
prepared in advance for the reception and processes of delivery.
He also pointed out that CTN will equally check under-declaration of gross
registered tonnage (grt) of the vessels bringing goods into the country, adding
that this will help increase revenue from the ports sector.
He
also revealed that the CTN would have ended the controversy that
trailed the oil subsidy issue with the petroleum marketers if it had been
introduced during that time.
Ali had sought the cooperation of the Council as the Ports Economic Regulator
to end all the cases of falsification by shippers observed during examination
of cargoes at the ports.
For instance, Ali said that it has been observed that in most cases, what is
claimed in the documentation is usually a different thing during physical
examination of the goods in the ports, a development he said was worrisome to
the Service.
He also added that the importers were in the habit of generalization of cargo
instead of clear description of the cargoes they are bringing into the country.
He said the purpose of his visit was to seek the collaboration of the Regulator
so that any issue can always be resolved amicably.
Bello who said he was excited about the visit described it as a clear
demonstration of the new CG’s readiness and seriousness to work.
Describing the ports as operating a community system, Bello said collaboration
between the government agencies in the ports was important for the industry to
move forward.
Bello who pointed out that sometimes there could be conflict, said this can
only be resolved through collaboration.
