In other to facilitate trade at the ports and promote the ease of doing business, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has directed that any consignment duly released at the terminals should no longer be subjected to Customs cross examination at the exit gate.
This was contained in a circular issued by the Officer in Charge, Customs Intelligence Unit, Tin Can Island command, Suleiman Bomoi.
The Public Relations Officer Tin Can Island command of the service, Uche Ejesieme, said the unit decided to halt the cross examination to facilitate trade at the ports and promote the ease of doing business in line with the vision of the Federal Government.
He said, “In line with our efforts to align with the presidential directive on ease of doing business, the OC of the CIU, Bomoi directed that all cargoes duly released from the terminals should no longer be subjected to cross examination at the point of exit.
“This is to ensure that all areas of bureaucracy and cumbersomeness are removed. As Customs officials, we have the responsibility to ensure that we don’t just key into the mandate on ease of doing business but are seen to be driving it.”
Ejesieme added that the Customs Area Controller, Tin Can Island command, Bashar Yusuf, was strongly in support of the directive.
Customs regularly cross examines goods at the exit gate upon receiving alerts from colleagues inside the terminals of suspected infraction on the part of the importers.