Shittu declared that Customs agents have been having problems with Customs officers, who, according to him, out of parochial interests fruatrate the work of the agents.
“Our problem is not with the CAC (Customs Area Controller), but with the desks and files who have made life difficult for our members, even when it is clear that it is done for the benefit of themselves and not the command,” the ANLCA boss said.
The management of the NCS Apapa Area Command and the ANLCA leadership had gone into a closed-door session soon after the association’s leadership listed its grievances in open forum.
Rising from the closed-door meeting, the Customs Public Relations Officer (CPRO) of the Command, Chief Superintendent of Customs Emmanuel Ekpa, said that the ANLCA National President visited the Customs Apapa Area Command to harmonise working relationship between the Command and the agents.
“Because Apapa is the flagship of Nigeria Customs in Nigeria, we are having cordial relationship with Customs agents and there is no problem for a very long time as far as the Command is concerned,” Ekpa said.
He went on: “Despite issues with the teminal operators, there has not been problem between the Command and the agents.”
But on the allegations against the personnel Command, the CPRO said: “I may not be able to substantiate on that, but I know what is needed in that area is direct supervision; which is what were doing.
“Even the Customs CG (Comptroller-General) suggested that CACs should sometimes go around to see what their officers are doing. And my CAC is not a sitting CAC; he is doing that.”
Meanwhile, after a meeting with the Apapa Chapter of ANLCA, Shittu advised Customs agents to always comply with Customs polices, in order to reduce the number of debit notes (DNs) Customs officers slam them with.
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