The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Friday said it was working towards auctioning abandoned and overtime cargoes at the seaports.
The NCS Coordinator of Zone B, Uba Ahmed, stated this while declaring open a one-day sensitization workshop organized for stakeholders in the zone on overtime cargo clearance held in Kano.
Ahmed, an Assistant Comptroller General of Customs, was represented at the event by the Controller Kano/Jigawa Command, Suleiman Umar Pai.
He said the service was committed to addressing the challenges of overtime cargoes at the port.
Earlier, the Controller in charge of Auction and Overtime Cargoes, Yakubu Salihu, said the workshop was organized to enlighten stakeholders on the clearance procedures for overtime goods that will be auctioned by Customs.
“The Nigeria Customs Service is working assiduously in ensuring that the attitude of overtime cargoes is addressed with the aim of decongesting the ports.
“The aim of the sensitization is on the overtime clearance procedure, and the laws guiding it, because most of the critical stakeholders are not aware of the clearance procedures. That is why we are in Kano to acquaint them with the needed information aimed at easing the business,” Salihu said.
In his presentation, a Deputy Superintendent of Customs, Mu’azu Zanna, explained that overtime cargoes are cargos imported into the country either through the airport or seaport, and have stayed beyond the stipulated period provided by the law in the port.
“Cargo is classified as overtime if the importer does not clear it after 14 days. Any goods imported into Nigeria is subject to the provisions of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA),” he said.
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