By Tony NZEKWE
The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has remained the landlord for most Maritime agencies, operators and practitioners at the Seaports in Nigerian Maritime industry with an inherent function to create a conducive and friendly working environment and relationships among all critical stakeholders.
The Onne Seaport has several key federal government agencies saddle with specific functions and responsibilities aimed to secure and ensure national security, national health security and revenue generation.
In view of the backdrop, Nigeria Customs Service, NSC, an agency under the Federal Ministry of Finance saddle with the responsibilities to generate revenue, suppress smuggling activities, enhance trade facilitation and national security.
Nigeria Customs Service, Port Harcourt Area 11 command, Onne, Rivers State have consistently continued to enforce fiscal policies compliance, due diligence and transparency in all operations and administration in accordance with the policy thrust of the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi MFR, anchored on consolidation, collaboration and innovation.
Since assumption of office, Comptroller Mohammed Babandede, the Customs Area Controller, CAC, has sounded it loud and clear that all stakeholders must adhere strictly to the standards of operations and comply with the fiscal policies on imports and exports as stipulated.
Thus, Operations, Documentations and cargo clearance at Onne customs command is transparent and documentation processes are in line with the extant laws for cargo documentation and clearance at the ports. The issue of under payment and wrong classifications and evasion of duty are forgone alternatives.
In view of the above, the Chairman, Association of registered freight forwarders Nigeria, Obinna Ugochukwu, said, “I attention has been drawn to an article written about Customs and Licensed agents operating at Onne Seaport under the auspices of the Onne Customs Command as misleading, mischievous, baseless and unfounded in national daily publication.”
Obinna Ugochukwu, said, ” The writer of the report is blank on operations, administration and conducive working environment created by the Customs Area Controller, Comp Mohammed Babandede.” Adding, ” The write up is the figment of the imagination of the author and handy work of enemies of progress aimed to attract cheap publicity.”
The Chairman, asserted, ” Without fear or favour I will tell you categorically that Onne Customs Command, Licensed Agents and Fright forwarders are in cordial interaction and synergies aimed to close ranks and bridge any possible lapses that are likely to hinder the smooth and seamless transparent operations, documentations and clearance of cargo at the Onne Seaport aimed to generate revenue to the federal coffers in accordance with the fiscal policies of the federal government of Nigeria.”
Obinna, posited, ” The sponsors are advocates of calumny and discord at Onne Seaport who are faceless and economic defaulters; the so called Nelson Ejiefor who granted the writer interview belongs to which association; we have four registered and practicing association at Onne, so where does he belong? is a fictitious name and only exit in the imagination of the author of that misleading information.”
However, ” As a Journalist you are obliged to check, recheck and verify information before publication and should always uphold the ethics and norms and values of the profession aimed to inform, educate and entertain the public accurately.”
