The Managing Director of APM Terminals Apapa Limited, Mr. Andrew Dawes, has commended the Area Controller, Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Charles Edike for his role in facilitating trade at the Lagos Port Complex, Apapa.
Dawes made the commendation penultimate Friday when he paid a courtesy call on Edike and presented him with a plaque.
While acknowledging the good working relationship between the NCS Apapa Command and his company, Dawes said APM Terminals will continue to support Customs to effectively carry out its functions at the port. He said the transition from private destination inspection service provides to the NCS has been smooth even as he commended Edike and his team for their professional conduct and dedication to duty. He also commended the men and officers of the command for embracing weekend examination of containers.
“We are impressed with your leadership quality at the command. You are focused and diligent in your duties. I assure you of our support at all times and also in the implementation of the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR),” Dawes stated.
He said the new multilevel physical inspection facility being built by his company will be ready for use by the end of the first quarter of 2014. He also said that a new office facility will be provided for officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service in the new administrative building being constructed at the terminal.
Comptroller Charles Edike who received the APM Terminals boss along with senior officers of the command expressed appreciation to the company for maintaining cordial working relationship with his officers.
He said since assumption of office at Apapa, he has made trade facilitation the watch words at the command.
“I don’t keep any document on my desk. As they come in, they must be treated immediately and sent out. My officers don’t keep documents. They have a time limit to treat any document because when you delay a document, the implications can sometimes be more than you can imagine and we will not hesitate to sanction any officer found to delay documents unnecessarily. We are here to implement the vision of the Comptroller General, Alhaji Dikko Inde Abdullahi and he frowns at any form of lackadaisical attitude,” Edike said.
The Apapa CAC also said that he directed the stemming of containers to off-dock terminals on assumption of duty so as to ensure that goods are cleared on time.
Mr. Dawes was accompanied on the visit by the company’s Chief Commercial Officer, Mr. Neil Fletcher.
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