The Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) on Wednesday in Lagos urged importers to ensure they always make genuine declarations in processing cargo clearance.
The newly-elected Secretary of ANLCA, Tin Can Island Port Chapter, Chuks Kanikwu Davis, said that right declaration will help in achieving the 48-hour cargo clearance target.
“We will have little or no problem with Customs if our declaration is in tandem with what is required. Even if there is any problem, it could be easily resolved,” he said.
He said that the new executive would ensure its members desist from unethical practices.
“We (freight forwarders) are supposed to complement one another’s roles as key revenue collectors,” Kanikwu said.
He noted that the freight forwarding business had been infiltrated by quacks, and that the association had vowed to ensure it differentiated its members from the quacks.
“We will try to identify those who are our genuine members and those who have been giving us bad names so that the freight forwarding business is looked at as a noble profession,” he said.
Kanikwu said that the association was going to engage stakeholders in the maritime sector in constructive dialogue to see how the Tin Can Island port could be returned to its past glory.
“We are preaching non-violence and mutual respect. We are also preaching minimal cost in transactions, so that our ports will be user-friendly. We are going to ensure that the Tin Can Island Port becomes the envy of other ports,” he said.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.