….I am not going to compromise my revenue collection…shoboiki
The new Customs Area Comptroller, Lagos Airport Command, Mrs. Jayne Shoboiki has warned that anyone found to be involved in sabotaging the efforts of the service in generating revenue for the government will be made to face the full weight of law.
As the comptroller accuses staff of aviation ground handling companies of conniving with customs agents to steal cargo on the tarmac at the airport.
she said any customs agent caught stealing cargo, would have their license would be seized, adding that contraband goods should be avoided.
Mrs. Shoboiki who handed down the warning at a meeting with major stakeholders.
said “We seem to have a lot of challenges with the ground handling staff at this airport especially at the tarmac. They are not only conniving with the agents, but are also aiding and abetting in stealing of cargo at the tarmac. One of the ground handling agents visited me yesterday (Wednesday) and when I came out with a lot of evidences, they didn’t know what to say.
“I see no reason why we should steal cargo at the shed. The importer has given the agent the appropriate money for the clearance of the cargo, but some of the agents in connivance with some of the ground handling staff still go ahead to steal cargo. All that will stop. Any agent that is caught stealing cargo, his license would be seized. Also, agents should not collect contraband products from importers.
The Area customs Comptroller who was redeployed to the command about a week ago, warned that the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) would no longer tolerate diversion of government revenues by some unscrupulous elements in the system especially among the cargo agents.
She explained that within a week of her redeployment to the command, she had noticed some loopholes in the system, which she intended to plug, stressing that the command would no longer tolerate any act of indiscipline by any of the agents and other stakeholders in the system.
“I am not here to blame anyone, but to ensure that we make adjustments. I am here for revenue collection at the command. We need to have attitudinal change in whatever we do. I am not going to compromise my revenue collection or allow anyone to constitute an impediment to that change. I will adopt carrot and stick approach and I will not hesitate to use the stick when the need arises.”
In attendance at the meeting were representative of the Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCOL) Limited, Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) and the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF).
Responding, Head, Corporate Services of one of the ground handling companies, Mr. Ahmed Gulmah who expressed surprise while reacting to the alleged stealing of cargo at the tarmac said NAHCO had put in place to checkmate any nefarious activities by its clients and staff.
He, however, agreed that there was no perfect system anywhere in the world, but assured that they would continue to cooperate with the Customs and other stakeholders in the industry.
He said: “I am actually taken aback with some of the allegations you just made. No system is perfect, but our commitment is that we will ensure compliance, improve on our structures and cooperate with your men on the field.
“We will also ensure that government gets what is due to them and we too will generate our own revenues.”
