Don't Miss


Home   >   Business   >   Industries   >   Agent blames Customs for inappropriate duty valuation

Agent blames Customs for inappropriate duty valuation

By on April 24, 2014

A licensed customs agent, Mr. Uchu Block, has blamed the Nigeria Customs Service for inappropriate duty valuation on imported goods.

Block made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Tuesday in Lagos.

He said the inappropriate duty valuation on imported goods was as a result of deploying inexperienced officers to handle valuation issues across the ports.

According to him most young Information Technology experts lack the knowledge and skill required for international trade.

Block described as unfortunate the inability of the NCS to deploy established officers that understood the principles of valuation to handle such sensitive revenue assignments.

He said, “The Customs just employ new graduates that have no experience of valuation principles and have no professional knowledge of this international trade. These officers are computer wizards; they can manipulate the computer well. But they don’t even know anything about values.

“For the same document and the same consignment within two months, they issue different values. That is the problem we are now facing.

“If they had taken officers that have between 15 and 20 years’ experience, who have passed through the rank and file and have the requisite knowledge, it could have been a lot better.”

Block also complained of the non-availability of a dispute resolution unit at the NCS where agents could make their reports.

According to him, the channelling of complaints through bankers, a third party, makes trade dispute resolution difficult and almost impossible.

Responding, the Customs Area Controller at Apapa, Mr. Eporwei Edike, told NAN that the NCS duty valuations were carried out by both experienced and young officers.

He said that various levels of officers working in the unit were usually moved to other departments over time to gain more experience.

Edike said, “The valuation unit has different levels of officers and even when documents get to the new officers, they consult with their supervisors.

“The officers don’t work in isolation because it is a unit with several officers.”

Edike also urged all agents operating at the Apapa Port to forward their complaints to the NCS for urgent and immediate resolution.

 

 

[Punch]