The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Zone `A’ Coordinator, Assistant Comptroller-General Charles Edike yesterday advised truck owners to avoid seizure by not carrying sub-standard exportable goods.
Edike made the plea while speaking with newsmen in Lagos.
He said that truck owners should consult Customs information platform to avoid seizure of their trucks while carrying sub-standard goods.
The Customs chief said that the Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali had given a directive that “seized trucks should be released if the owner of the goods is identified”.
Edike said that the law indicated that both the consignments and the truck carrying the sub-standard exportable products should be seized.
The customs chief said that government directed that wood should be processed before being exported.
“I will advise you to go to www.nigeriacustomsservice.gov.ng and www.nigeriatradehub.gov.ng to learn more on the guidelines attached to import and export goods,” Edike said.
He said that the Comptroller, Federal Operation Unit (FOU) of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) had been told to release seized trucks if the owners of the consignments show up.
In his response, the Chairman, Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), Chief Remi Ogungbemi, said that trucks as means of transportation were very important to the economy.
Ogungbemi described trucks as the movers of the economy, adding that if the trucks refused to move, the economy would stand still.
“Transporters are the servants of many masters because our operation is being affected by too many polices from all the regulatory agencies.
“I will like Nigerians to look inwards on how to boost exportable products,’’ Ogungbemi said.
He noted that over 30 trucks had been impounded by the Federal Operations Unit of Customs while carrying exportable products.
He urged the NCS to sensitise truck operators on exports and imports prohibited items to avoid seizure.
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