Importers, manufacturers and members of organised private sector have threatened to protest at Custom Abuja Headquarters as well as at Onne ports.
This follows scandals and allegations of bribery and corruption at Pre Arrival assessment report department (PAAR Desk) of Nigeria Customs Service, Abuja and at Onne Ports.
The importers also want the PAAR desk overhauled and officers redeployed and replaced by Pre-shipment inspection agencies as SGS, Cotecna, intertek as was the case over 20 yrs ago.
Insiders allege that bribery is rife at the PAAR desk of Nigeria Customs, Abuja and at Onne ports that any ‘non cooperative’ importer is arbitrarily slammed with high duties and unwarranted charges.
According to some of the Importers who craved anonymity, “the PAAR guys at Customs are causing Nigeria more harm than good by imposing arbitrary charges and duties on those who refuse to “cooperate with them.
Said one of the aggrieved importers, ” I am a regular importer of industrial machinery, raw materials and other components for our factory and we all know the duties payable. Yes.. we pay appropriate Customs tariff and duty but recently kickbacks and bribes at NCS PAAR Desk have now reached crisis point.
He further alleged that the kind of money being demanded by officers at the PAAR desk is no longer affordable and organized Private Sector OPS particularly manufacturers have started crying foul and agitating over these corrupt practices.
He alleged that Comptr PAAR Desk should be held responsible for these lapses and sharp practices at Customs especially at Onne Ports which is one of the most expensive ports causing Nigeria more harm as a nation.
Said another importer “manufacturers and importers are facing a hell of time from PAAR Desk and other multiple corrupt hurdles by Customs officials at examinations and releasing seats.
“Corruption has indeed taken Nigeria to an unacceptable level.
Another aggrieved importer hinted that ” we took first part shipment of plastic machinery last year and paid import duty of about N1m, took second part shipment early this year paid import duty of same N1m. It was on the 3rd shipment that the officers started demanding for bribes which we refused to pay and they jacked up duty to N12m.
“We call on the Comptr General to thoroughly investigate the matter and redeploy and reorganise the
PAAR desk at Onne or their functions contracted out to Pre shipment Inspection Agencies as it were 10 to 20 years ago because all manufacturing companies are folding up
Another importer also complained that his last import was delayed for six months because of bottlenecks at Pre Arrival assessment department at Onne.
Many are of the opinion that this may be reason why at present, 80% of cargoes coming into Nigeria are discharged from Cotonou and Ghanaian Ports as Nigerian Ports are crippled with massive corrupt practices and higher costs of landing.
In the words of one industrialist, ” “Our Ports are not competitive as should be as a result of corrupt practices. And the most worrisome aspect is that corrupt practices are not captured in any system so that organised private sector can effectively budget for it. We are seriously in big trouble as a nation and consumer poverty is outrageous”
