LAGOS – Mr Charles Edike, Area Comptroller, Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Services (NCS), on Monday said that Apapa port generated a revenue of N24 billion in April.
The port collected a huge amount as a result of the improvement in Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) procedure which had been faulty before now and so hindered growth.
Edike made the disclosure in Lagos at a stakeholders summit organised by the Maritime Reporters Association of Nigeria (MARAN).
Edike said that the command collected N55.32 billion between January and March.
According to him, before the problem of PAAR was solved, Apapa port generated about N300 million in a month and in a quarter nets about N17 billion in revenue collection.
He said the command released 28.9 million processed PAAR in April after it surmounted initial challenges in the new clearing system.
“PAAR is working well without hiccups in sending out any of the documents to the banks. Clearing agents no longer waste time in getting form `M` once they pay,’’ he said.
Edike said that securing of adequate technology had been the cause of delay in processing PAAR since it started, noting that even in advanced countries technology could fail.
“The new PAAR procedue is engineered to ease goods clearance for port users.
“If the problem of PAAR is not solved, the command will not be able to achieve such a success,’’ the area comptroller said.
He appealed to port users to be more transparent in processing their documents so as not to cause delay in the clearing their goods.
“Importers should make an effort to inform agents on the true position of their consignments.
“Also, I urge the agents to make proper declaration to avoid delay in cargo clearance,’’ he said.
Edike noted that clearing agents who tried to cut corners would go through the hard time of answering questions from customs and pay more demurrage in the process. (NAN)
