19 June 2017, Sweetcrude, Lagos — In a bid to enhance and facilitate Cargo clearance at the Onne Port, the Port Harcourt Area 11 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, in Onne, Rivers state, has commenced moves to operate on a 24-hour basis.
Disclosing to this newsmen in Port Harcourt, the Command’s area Controller, Abubakar Bashir said, that 24 Hours Cargo clearance is feasible at Onne Seaport adding that prompt clearance of Cargo of the seaport is needed to beef up revenue generation for the Federal Government of Nigeria”.
Bashir explained that on assumption of office the command’s management collectively assessed and appraised documentation and clearance procedures of cargo clearance at the port and some challenges were identified.
He said “The identified challenges prompted me to embark on a holistic and integrated Maritime, Oil and Gas Stakeholders Forum aimed at facilitating trade and providing lasting solution with a view to achieving 24 hours Cargo clearance at Onne seaport in line with the directives of the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd)”.
“Customs as a Critical stakeholder in accordance with our statutory responsibilities is duty bound to ease and fast-track cargo documentation and cargo clearance at the port”.
He urged all stakeholders to be patient and transparency in declarations and classifications during cargo clearance at the port.
“We all have to show patriotism and forthrightness in our various documentation and cargo clearance procedure in line with international standard and best practices”.
“All hands must be on deck on prompt operations and efficient service delivery at the port with inter-government agencies collaboration aimed to protect the fiscal policies of the Federation Government with a turnaround improvement in more revenue generation”