“Freight Forwarders Will No Longer Be Held Liable For Importers’ Under-declaration”---Custom CG

The Nigeria Custom Service has said that freight forwarders will no longer be arrested for the short comings of their importers, especially as it concerns under-declaration of cargoes discovered on customs examination.

Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Dikko Inde Abdullahi gave the assurance in Lagos yesterday during a sensitization programme for Tin Can Island Port stakeholders on the newly developed Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) by the customs for the purpose of clearing cargoes from the port.

Dikko who was represented by Head of ICT Unit of the customs, Deputy Controller Bashar Yussuf assured that gone were the days where clearing agents will be arrested and prosecuted for wrong declaration of cargo by the importer.

He assured that once the customs has fully taken over destination inspection of cargoes at the port by 2014, the practice is going to be abolished. According to him, all the freight forwarder needed to do is to present the owner of the documents and the consignment to the custom service.

“When the importer was loading the container you were not there, your responsibility is to clear the consignment that the document was given to you, and if something not stated in the document is found in the consignment it is not your fault, all you need to do is to present who gave you the consignment so that you can continue other jobs you have”

According to him, once a debit note has been issued to the importer, it is not the duty of the agent to fret about the payment, “Whether he pays the additional charges given to him or not, he must pay your charges, that is the kind of spirit we want to introduce, but if you carry additional burden on your head then you carry the cross as well”

He noted that under the destination inspection service providers, if there are discrepancies in declaration and duty payment, the licenses of the freight forwarder is usually withdrawn, he however assured that the PAAR will be issued based on the document presented by the importer, the bill of laden, the final import, the form M and the e-manifest.

“Once all this has been done, no customs will stop you on the consignment because the PAAR is issued by customs, the Debit Note is issued by customs, it is verified, and the release after modification is also done by customs, so case closed”

“You are freight forwarders and clearing agents, the law of customs considers you as importers representatives, and if there is punishment they should go to the importer or his representatives, the moment you present the importer you represent you go your way”

He however warned agents to always make honest transactions on the Nigerian Trade Hub in order to ensure that their integrity is intact, speaking he said “Whatever you do, remember we have information from customs administration of countries that the goods are coming from, so don’t tamper with documents because we also have facts from countries of origin”

Dikko assured that if all necessary rules are adhered to, the Nigeria Custom Service will be issuing PAAR to stakeholders in six hours.

According to the custom boss, the customs information portal; Nigerian Trade Hub contains names of all freight forwarders operating in Nigeria, he warned that anyone found in unwholesome practice will be deleted from the portal by the customs.
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