By Martha Agas
The Customs Consultative Committee (CCC) has urged the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to continuously refine its risk assessment protocols.
The committee made the call in a statement by its Secretary, Eugene Nweke , on Monday in Abuja.
According to Nweke, the move is critical to consolidate on the achievements of NCS’s exceptional performance in enforcing import regulations and generating revenue under the National Strategic Economic Development Plan (NSEDP).
“The CCC acknowledges the NCS’s achievements in intercepting prohibited and restricted imports, including unregistered pharmaceuticals and expired margarines, at the Apapa Port Command.
“The seizure of eleven containers with a combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N921.021 million is a testament to the service’s commitment to national security and economic growth,” he said.
Nweke urged the NCS to also leverage on advanced technologies to enhance its operations.
He said that the service should organise workshops, seminars, and awareness campaigns to educate the trading public on the provisions and implications of the new NCS Act 2023.
He said that it should also provide ongoing training and capacity-building programmes for NCS officers, and foster stronger relationships with stakeholders to promote compliance and trade facilitation.
According to Nweke, the CCC wants the Nigeria Customs to reinforce the seven Cs of Customs which are courtesy, competence, consistency, compliance, control, communication, and compliance
“The service should also upgrade the server infrastructure and bandwidth to support the B’Odogwu platform, ensuring seamless transactions and minimising system downtime.
“The CCC also suggests best practices, including international cooperation, transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
“Going forward, the CCC urges the NCS to implement these recommendations within the next six months, and expresses confidence in the service’s ability to continue delivering outstanding results,”he said.
The secretary said that the CCC would continue to support the NCS’s efforts and looked forward to continued collaboration.
“The CCC appreciates the leadership of the Comptroller- General, Adewale Adeniyi, and other officials for their vision and commitment to excellence.
“Their leadership has been instrumental in driving the service’s performance and ensuring the effective implementation of the NSEDP,” he said.
