BY Johnbosco Agbakwuru

It’s a lie  – Customs
CALABAR—Management of Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort, Calabar, Cross River State, has accused Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, of deliberate plan to drive away investors at the place,  thereby close down the multi million naira business outfit.

In its reaction, Cross River State/Free Trade Zone/Akwa Ibom State command of NCS,  denied the allegation, saying that due process must be followed in accordance with the laws that established it.

It was alleged that recently, officers from the customs seized a bag of rice bought by a customer at Tinapa and only last week, the customs allegedly seized four washing machines bought by some customers at the gate of the resort.

A customers, Rev. Oganiru in company of two others, claimed that they bought the washing machines at Tinapa for personal use and had presented their receipts when the customs officer at the gate stopped them.

He said the custom officer insisted that they should pay duty on the machines, a development that attracted the management of Tinapa.

Managing Director of Tinapa, Chief Bassey Ndem, said the customs officer told the management that he was acting on ‘instruction from above’ when he was confronted, that the goods that were not bulk purchased and not up to N50,000 as stipulated by  law that established the free trade zones.

Ndem, who wondered why the customs should frustrate efforts made to ensure that Tinapa was put to proper use, explained that in the last three years, there had been harmonious working relationship between the place and all relevant government agencies.

But reacting to the allegation, the CustomsPublic Relations Officer of the  command, Mr. Daniel Tule, denied  any paln to close down the place,  insisting that due process must be followed in any business transaction.