Apapa Customs Releases 28, 861, 000 PAARs In April

CG Customs; Alhaji Dikko Abdulahi Inde       

Even as stakeholders intensify their anguish over the Customs Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), the Customs Area Controller in charge of the nation’s biggest customs command; Mr Charles Edike has assured that, there has been a significant improvement in the issuance of the all-important cargo clearance document.
The controller of Apapa Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service said yesterday that, in most cases, RAAR is issued even within hours, even before the importer “gets home”.
He said that the teething problems that were associated with Pre-Arrival Assessment Report are gradually coming to an end even as he disclosed that a total of 28,861,000 PAARs have been released in April.
The command also raked a whooping N22, 132,876,041.87k between April 1 and 28, 2014.
The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Charles Edike gave the disclosure during a roundtable meeting with journalists under the aegis of Maritime Correspondence Organisation of Nigeria (MARCON) in Lagos.

President Jonathan Dangles Deep-sea Port Carrot At Akran Of Badagry

President Goodluck Jonathan

• Says FG Will Build Biggest Port In Nigeria In The Ancient Town

 

Even though it is a private-sector driven project, the Federal Government last weekend claimed that it was planning to build the biggest deepsea port in Badagry, Lagos state.
President Goodluck Jonathan, who raised the hope of indigenes of the ancient town on Saturday in Badagry, also said the decision to establish the seaport was part of the Federal Government’s Transformation Agenda
Jonathan made the pledge at the 37th coronation anniversary of the Akran of Badagry, Aholu Menu-Toyi I, held at his palace in Badagry, Lagos State.
The president, who was represented by the Minister of Information, Mr Labaran Maku, acknowledged that: "Badagry is a historic town and it is the cradle of tourism, so we hold it in high esteem.
"For over 100 years, Badagry was the exporting point in Nigeria but back then, it was slave that was being exported out of the country.

PORT REGULATOR: ANLCA Dares Nigerian Shippers’ Council

The first test of the strength of the Nigerian Shippers’ Council’s new role as the economic regulator of the nation’s seaports has emerged from Onne port in Rivers state, where the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) has violated the Council order on collection of the outlawed practicing fees at the port.

Shipping Position Daily’s investigations revealed that the Onne seaport chapter of ANLCA has refused to honour an earlier directive that was handed down to the given to the association to stop collection of any practicing fees within Onne ports.

The order was given in March after a meeting between the Shippers Council and stakeholders in Onne, where issues bordering on the illegal collection were discussed.

ANLCA Battles TICT, Others Over Easter Holiday Demurrage

The Tin Can Island Chapter of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) is currently battling with port concessionaires; Tincan Island Container Terminal (TICT) and Mid-Maritime Services Terminal over the terminals' demand for payment of demurrage on cargoes during the last Easter holidays.

Vice Chairman of the chapter; Barrister Ada Akpunonu who spoke exclusively with Shipping Position Daily in her office on Tuesday disclosed that ANLCA had last week written a letter to all the concessionaires demanding a three days waiver on demurrage during the Easter holidays.

This according to her, is logical because many of the terminals were not open to work during the holidays and ANLCA had delegated some of its members to go round and monitor the situation.

But not rendered.

PAAR: Customs May Dump MTN Due To Epileptic Cargo Information Transmission

Commissioner of Police Western Port, Mr Kayode Aderanti  (M) Flanked
By Senior Officers of Both The Police and Kirikiri Lighter Terminal Command
of The Customs When  The Police Commissioner Visited Last Week

Apparently not satisfied with the information transmission time on cargo, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) may dump foremost telecom service provider; MTN, as providers of transmission services for clearing information in cargo delivery process.

Specifically, Customs sources hinted our correspondent that a new generation telecoms firm has been engaged to assist MTN in this regard.

Giving a hint in Lagos about MTN’s shortcomings, the Deputy Comptroller in charge of Customs’ Pre- Arrival Assessment Report in Abuja; Mr. Ony Ogbonna, said that MTN appears to be overwhelmed by the volume of information awaiting electronic transmission.

At a recent meeting with import duty collecting banks, Ogbonna had explained that the backlog of un-transmitted cargo information to both the banks and Customs platforms need to be resolved to prevent port congestion.

MSC Launches New Asia-West Africa Service

• Ships Now To Arrive Tin Can Port  In 28 Days

Nigerian importers who have had to wait for an upward of 44 days for their consignments from Asian nations now have cause to smile. Reason if that of the foremost lines that often call at Tin Can port in Lagos; Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) has reviewed its operations, the result is a drastic reduction in waiting time to 28 days.
Mediterranean Shipping Company said yesterday that it will this week; launch a new direct service on the fast-growing Asia-West Africa trade lane to cut down on voyage times.
The new package kicks–off tomorrow (Thursday).

8 Years After, Senate Committee Says Concessioned Ports Yielding High Revenue

The Senate Committee on Commercialisation and Privatisation said concessioned ports have started yielding higher revenue for the country.
This is contained in a statement made available to Shipping Position Daily by Head, Public Communications, Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Mr Chigbo Anichebe in Abuja on Sunday.
The statement quoted the Chairman of the Committee; Senator Olugbenga Obadara, said this during an oversight visit to Tin-Can Island Port, Lagos.
In it, Obadara reportedly said the purpose of the concession had been achieved as services at the ports had significantly improved and were also contributing immensely to the revenue base of the Federal Government.
``The concession fees paid by the concessionaires contribute to the nation's annual budget as against the pre-concession period when the Federal Government allocated huge sums of money to maintain the ports.

Shippers Council To Act As Interim Economic Port Regulator For one Year ---- Minister



The much-celebrated approval that was granted to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council to act as a commercial regulator is only for one year, so says the transport minister; Senator Idris Umar.
The Minister, through the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Engineer Nebolisa Emordi gave this clarification yesterday in Lagos at a breakfast meeting organised by the Nigeria Shippers’ Council as the economic regulator of the nation’s port system.
Engineer Nebolisa Emordi reiterated that the federal government is working assiduously to ensure that the transport bills are passed for the council to perform effectively.
He said that there were massive consultations from the coordinating minister of the economy, the vice president, the comptroller general of customs, which culminated in the approval of the council to act as interim commercial port regulator for a period of one year.

Senate Committee Chides NPA, Terminal Operators Over Alleged Revenue Leakage

The Senate Committee on Privatization has expressed dissatisfaction at the poor implementation of the financial agreements in the port concession agreement, as signed by the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Terminal Operators.
The Committee led by its Chairman, Senator Gbenga Obadara on a fact finding mission, visited the NPA headquarters in Lagos on Monday after taking a tour of two major terminals at the Tin Can Island Port; Five Star Logistics Terminals and the Josep Dam terminals.
At the end of the tour, the senators lamented that appreciable revenue that should have accrued to the country is being lost because the concessionaires have failed to remit their financial obligations to the NPA.
The Senators also gave knocks to the NPA for not providing needed infrastructures at the terminals, and for failing to keep accurate tab on the remittances from the concessionaires.

NPA Donates Port Offices To Support Shippers' Council Regulatory Role

L-R: Executive Director, Finance and Administration of the Nigerian Ports
 Authority (NPA) Mr. Olumide Oduntan, Managing Director of NPA,
Mallam Habeeb Abdullahi and the Executive Secretary, Nigeria n Shippers’
Council, Bar. Hassan Bello when he paid a Courtesy Visit to the
 NPA Headquarters in Marina, Lagos Yesterday.

• Seeks Review Of Concession Agreement

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has pledged its support to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council by donating offices at each ports all over the country, in order for the Council to carry out its newly-assigned commercial regulatory role over the port system.

The assurance was given yesterday by the Managing Director of the NPA, Mallam Habib Abdullahi when the Executive Secretary of the Shippers Council; Mr Hassan Bello visited the NPA headquarters in Lagos.

Speaking at the brief meeting, the NPA boss acknowledged that the role given to the Council is long overdue, even as he pointed out that it is temporary, pending the passage of the National Transport Commission Bill.
Abdullahi however charged the Council to review the concession agreement with terminal operators in order to improve upon the current state of the port and bring about efficiency.
"The concession agreement after some years will have its own problems here and there, so we expect that you look at them and see how it can be better for both concessionaires and the government", he told his guest.

Navy Destroys 265 Illegal Refineries In 3 Weeks In Warri

The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Rear Admiral UO Jibrin

The Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Delta, Warri Naval Command said it destroyed 265 illegal refineries and burnt 100, 000 tonnes of locally refined diesels in the last three weeks.
The illegal refineries and the products were destroyed in two separate operations inside the Warri creeks.
The NNS Delta Commander, Capt. Musa Gemu, who assumed duty in February, told newsmen yesterday that his command would not condone illegalities in the creeks.
``We will deal decisively with oil thieves and pipeline vandals in my areas of responsibilities,’’ Gemu warned.
He recalled that on March 15, he led a team of Naval officers to Oteghele Phase one and two forest in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta.

At Last, Shippers’ Council Kicks-Off Regulatory Role

L-R: Managing Director, Greenview Development Nigeria Limited (GDNL)
Abba Isa Bukar, Chairman Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria
(STOAN) Princess Vicky Hastrup and the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers
Council; Mr Hassan Bello when the Council visited the secretariat of STOAN
 for a meeting in Apapa, Lagos yesterday.

• Visits Stakeholders, Assures Of Fairness

 

The Nigerian Shippers’ Council yesterday embarked on a wide consultation visits to major stakeholders in the Nigerian shipping sector, signaling the flag-off of its new role as the regulator of the port system.

The Executive Secretary of the Council; Barrister Hassan Bello led top echelon of the council on a courtesy visit to the secretariat of the Seaport and Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) at Apapa port, and the Shipping Association of Nigeria (SAN) at Tin Can Island Port.

Addressing the terminal operators, Bello craved the cooperation and understanding of the concessionaires in carrying out its newly-assigned presidential mandate, even as he assured them of partnership of the council.

"The assignment given to us by government is a re-affirmation of what we have always been doing, trying to see that there is a balance in the industry, we want to ensure that the cost paid by port users is commensurate with services they get", he stated.

Customs Issues Ultimatum To Importers/Agents Over Un-rectified PAAR

...May Clamp Down On Licenses

 

Even as the Nigeria Customs Service has recently announced an upgrade in its transmitting networks on the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR), the service has equally warned that importers and their agents who are yet to perfect their PAAR to do so, or risk their licenses being blocked.

An ultimatum issued by the customs headquarters, sighted by Shipping Position Daily at the ports yesterday warned that importers who have not perfected their unused PAAR to do so on or before April 14th 2014.

It will be recalled that, at the wake of the PAAR scheme, last year, the customs had released several consignment based on 'provisional release' in order to avoid port congestion.

The Post Clearance Audit Unit of the customs has however said that the PAAR's are out now but many beneficiaries of the pre-release scheme have failed to come and perfect their unused PAAR.

Briefing our correspondent on the development yesterday, image maker of PTML customs; Steve Okonmah confirmed that importers who fail to show up to regularise their PAAR may have their practicing licenses blocked.

How Ikorodu Boat Mishap Claimed The Life Of CMA CGM Staff, Bride-To-Be

The ill-fated passenger boat which capsized last week killing many
enroute Ikorodu, being recovered by Search and Rescue team of the
Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) last weekend

The April 2, 2014 boat mishap claimed the life of promising Isaac Akere, an employee of a shipping company in Apapa, Lagos. He died along with his wife to-be, less than two weeks to their wedding

A rescue team from the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) over the weekend said it had recovered the body of a man declared missing after the tragic boat mishap on Majidun River in Ikorodu, near Lagos on April 2.
The Managing Director of LASWA, Mr Olayinka Marinho, confirmed the recovery of the body as that of 38-year-old shipping company executive,whom he identified as Mr Isaac Akere. He was said to be preparing for his wedding which was to come up this month.
The late Akere was said to be working with CMA CGM Delmas Nigeria Ltd., based in Apapa, Lagos.
According to him, “our search team discovered the wreck of the boat mishap that happened on Wednesday evening at Majidun in Ikorodu on Friday.

FG Approves New Charges On Port Transactions

The Federal Government has approved collection of stamp duty charges on all transactions in the nation's seaports.

Even tough details and modalities for collection were still being worked out, Shipping Position Daily confirmed authouritatively last week that the new payment is pegged at N50 duty stamp on every document pertaining to transaction through Nigerian Ports Authourity to terminal operators, shipping companies and the Nigeria Customs Service. 

Sources close to the promoters of the new payment told our correspondent that it is in line with the provision of section 89 of the stamp duty Act cap S.8 law of 2004.

The stamp duty charge is expected to be collected by both the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) and the Nigeria Customs Services respectively on behalf of the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST).

Meanwhile NIPOST has accredited a private firm; Goldtrack Limited as its official postal agent on the duty stamp.

Cargo Ship Sinks Off South Korea, 11 North Korean Crew Missing

A Mongolian-flagged cargo ship has sunk off the southern coast of South Korea, with most of the 16 North Korean crew members on board missing, South Korean coast guard officials said on 4th April.

Two crew members were found dead and three were rescued, while a search was under way for the other 11 crew still missing, the officials said.

NIWA/LASWA WATER TRANSPORTATION FACE-OFF:

 Fashola Gives Up, Says Ruling Lacked Merit, But...
The Lagos state government may have resigned to fate over its face-off with the National Inland Waterways Authourity (NIWA) over the superintendence of waterways in the state.
In the state’s first reaction to last Friday’s ruling of a Federal High Court restraining the state government from regulating ferry services on its waterways, Governor Babatunde Fashola said the ruling was as a disincentive to investment.
Delivering judgment on Friday in the National Inland Waterways Authourity (NIWA) versus LASWA case, Justice Saliu Saidu ordered that NIWA, by virtue of its enabling Act has a clear mandate to manage the nation’s vast inland waterways, exclusively.
The Judge said the state government had no constitutional right to regulate ferry services or collect fees on its waterways.
The judge gave the verdict in a suit instituted by the Incorporated Trustees of the Association of Tourist Boat Operators, Water Transporters of Nigeria, and the Incorporated Dredgers Association of Nigeria.

ALLEGED KILLING OF OKADA RIDER:

CG Customs; Alhaji Dikko Abdulahi Inde

Idiroko Customs Says Deceased Was A Known Smuggler
The Idiroko command of the Nigeria Customs Service has absolved itself from the recent killing of a man, who was said to be a commercial motorcycle rider (okada) during a face- off with youths of Koko town in Ogun state.
The deceased; Timothy Ezekiel was allegedly shot at by Customs operatives during a raid at the village to burst a rice smuggling syndicate.
Following the death, a petition was written to the Ogun State Police command in which it was alleged that the deceased was killed during a raid on February 26, 2014 by customs officers from the Idiroko command
The petition which was sighted by our correspondents and which was signed by Chief Shina Ogunyale, counsel for the Koko community, also accused customs operatives of several extrajudicial killings in border communities such as : Ilashe, Ajegunle, Ihunbo, Ogosa, Ajilete along the Idiroko road.

Cargo Clearance: Bankers Demand Outright Cancellation Of Hard Copy Of Ship Manifest

Nigerian Banks have demanded the outright ban of the hard copy of ship manifest, saying that that “the non-electronic copy has contributed to the delay of the cargo clearance process and sometimes sharp practices”.
Speaking at a recent meeting organized by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Central Bank of Nigeria,(CBN) in Lagos to intimate the bankers with the new system of the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR),  Deputy Comptroller of Customs in charge of PAAR real time in Abuja, Mr. Ony Egboma  said that the issue hard copy of ship manifest has been banned for a long time and  remains banned.
The bankers were of the view that about 20 percent of importers still submit hard copy of ship manifest as against the electronic copy which is meant to ease the cargo clearance process.
At the meeting, the bankers noted that the practice by local shipping firms to produce ship manifest in Nigeria is against the rule of shipping.

ANLCA ELECTIONS FACE-OFF

Some members of the Board of Trustees of the
Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA)
 at yesterday’s emergency meeting at the association’s permanent secretariat

• Pro-Shittu Forces Floor Board of Trustees
• Elections To Hold This Month

In what appeared as a sign of what will play out in a few weeks to come, the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) was yesterday forced to bow to the pressure mounted on it by most chairmen of the chapters of the association.
Venue of the high wired politicking was the association’s new permanent secretariat, where an emergency meeting was called by the board for the sole aim of pushing elections date forward and also allegedly to dissolve the association’s electoral committee.
However, events took a dramatic twist shortly after the commencement of the meeting and when the alleged plans of the board members became manifest.