Customs Agents Declare Support for Tin Can Customs on Night Operations

Scanning of containers at weekends and night introduced by the Tin Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has received the support of customs agents.
The Command had decided to introduce scanning of containers at night and weekend operations in line with what happens in other global ports, but most importantly to ensure that clearance of goods out of the ports is handled without delay.
The Vice President of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Segun Oduntan, during a courtesy visit to Comptroller Dera Nnadi said he was in support of night operations.
Oduntan was quoted as having promised to speak to other members of ANLCA to also support 24 hours operations at the ports.
Oduntan during the visit inspected the Tin Can Releasing Desk, Scanning site, Ashaye and exit gate.
The ANLCA VP had expressed concern that gridlock is gradually returning to the Tin Can port corridor as a result of the Christmas season, according to a report by Sun Newspapers.
He also said that this has led to increase in haulage charges.
He was quoted saying, “We are going to talk to our members and tell our people that there’s a new innovation that is in town. I hear that part of the complaint is that they said our people are not coming. There was an era where our members suffer a lot to bring out trucks from this port, that era is gradually returning .
“Now, due to the NPA Eto Call-Up racketeering, the cost of haulage has increased, the haulage cost that came down as low as N250,000 and N300,000 is now increased to N800,000 and N1.2 million.
“ANLCA being the foremost association, we are ready to buy into and give assistance to the Tin Can Island command. You are starting this now, and you are like in the Pilot Phase, definitely, all others will follow suit.”
The Tin Can Customs Area Controller, Compt Dera Nnadi had also during the courtesy visit explained that Nigerian ports were supposed to operate like other global ports which have 24 hours services.

He said, “The world does not sleep. When they’re sleeping in Nigeria, somebody in China is awake loading container. When China is sleeping, Europe and America is awake loading containers. So it behooves on us to also be awake 24 hours to receive and to exit these containers.
“In Nigeria, ship side operation is 24 hours. Certain aspects of the ship side operation is 24 hours. Certain aspects of custom work like enforcement and gate operation is 24 hours. Boarding and remodeling is 24 hours.
“But the nation has not or is yet to attain the level where basic operations like delivery of import loading cargo is achieved in the night.
So we come to work by 8 o’clock in the morning. And like basic civil servants by 5, 6 in the evening. Everybody is going home.
“We had to scan containers in the night, rather than close offices, usually by 4.30 or 5.30 time, we need to extend it to 8 p.m. in the night, we tried that and it worked, so we decided to extend it further”.
According to the Controller, the Command has tried it and it worked the first day with 56 containers scanned.
He added, “Now, let us those who enforce delivery of cargo outside the port work overnight too. We have started it, and it is working. We also introduced weekend operation. I issued a port order where I said that the Owanbe mentality around the port environment should stop, officers and freight forwarders and indeed all port operators should come to work on Saturdays and Sundays to help ease condition in the port.
“If you don’t come to work Saturdays and Sundays shipping companies and terminal operators would collect their money, they collect their due money, there is no exemption for weekends.”

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