Area Controller, Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Charles Edike has sounded a note of warning to officers of the command especially unit heads against unnecessary delay of consignments.
Speaking in response to complaints by agents over undue delay in the release of their consignments at a stakeholders meeting held at the command on Wednesday in Lagos, Edike told the officers that once a container has been examined and certified good for release, the officers should let it go immediately without further delays.
“Henceforth if you examine any cargo and you are satisfied as the DC terminal, you let go. And if anybody asks, you can explain that you released it for this reason. Do your jobs like a well-trained officer.
“Even if there is alert, alert does not mean they are always correct. Alert means ‘watch out’ or ‘be careful’. We don’t need to be intimidated by alert if you know what you are doing,” he said.
He advised the agents to always report any case of undue delay of consignments to his office and not wait until a stakeholders meeting is being held before calling his attention to it.
“You do not have to wait for meetings like this before you make such report. But you must be sure that you have done the right thing and that the officer is delaying you unnecessarily. If an officer that is paid by government is not doing his job and make you to suffer unduly and you keep quiet, you are not only doing yourself harm but also harming the system.
“We frown at any officer that delays people’s work, we don’t protect such persons. Because holding down people’s work is like holding the country down, holding down trade and progress,” Edike said.
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