Toju Vincent
13 August 2013, Lagos – A media group under the aegis of Maritime Reporters Congress of Nigeria, MARCON, has called on stakeholders in the maritime industry to embrace the newly introduced Pre Arrival Assessment Report, PAAR, initiative of the Nigeria Customs Service.
The group said the initiative holds the ace to solve some of the issues associated with delay of cargo clearance.
This was contained in a communiqué issued as the end of a one day colloquium on seamless shipping practice in Nigeria organized by the media group, noting that without the attitudinal change, the modern techniques powered by technology will not work.
The communique which was signed by the group’s president Mr. Ismeal Aniemu disclosed that attitudinal changes are required to achieve global best practices if Nigeria must attain its vision 20-2020 in the maritime sector.
Aniemu further explained that the programme was meant for industry stakeholders to learn, interact and suggest ways to achieve a hitch free shipping industry in Nigeria.
He opined that the Nigerian shipping sector is yet to attain its full potentials for national economic growth but appreciates the various modernisation achieved by the management of Nigeria Customs Service, under its present leadership through massive capacity building, the building of world class training infrastructures, enthronement of an e- clearance regime and a ‘do it yourself’ opportunity of entry submission for processing provided for importers and agents through the use of Direct Traders Input, DTI, café.
He stated that the PAAR regime, which is a replica of what currently obtains in advanced economies like Japan, Germany and many other places, will make clearance faster in Nigerian ports.
This according to him, will enable stakeholders to brace up with changes ahead of 2015 when a regulatory single window regime is expected to be put in place, and the PAAR regime would have fully replaced the present regime of relying on the advice of Risk Assessment Report, RAR, for imports.
“Stakeholders are desirous to see the Pre Arrival Assessment Report PAAR, an initiative of the Nigeria Customs Service, put to use, to herald a regime of faster clearance that will not only save cost through avoidance of demurrage but also contribute to making Nigerian ports cost effective towards the desired hub port status.
“The PAAR is a Process that will make shipping seamless to and within the country and will go a long way to place our national economy in global international trade map,” he stated.
