By GODFREY BIVBERE

About 75 percent of delay in the clearing process in the nation’s port has been blamed on wrong documentation by importers and their agents, the Public Relations Officer of Apapa Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Timi Bomadi, has said.

Speaking to Vanguard in Lagos, Bomadi noted that most agents are not very enlightened about the various classifications of goods importation and delay the clearing time for their goods.

He noted that there is need for proper education if the expectation of government regarding 48 hours clearance of goods from the port is to be achieved.

The Apapa Customs image maker explained that there was a case of an importer who got his manifest almost a month before his goods arrived and prepared his document for the Service Provider for the collection of his Risk Assessment Report (RAR), but about a week was wasted before the Service Provider could provide the importer with the RAR.

He said that the Fast Track facility provided by the Nigeria Customs is alive and thriving in the Command, noting that currently 115 companies have availed themselves of its services and in so doing have achieved a monthly average of 800 containers exiting the ports under the scheme.

He further noted that in its last stakeholders forum held to sensitize importers, shipping companies and members of the manufacturing community about the privileges they enjoy under the facility, the Area Controller, Adamu Yusuf Garko, implored members of the business community to make maximum use of this program, saying that it would help to drastically reduce the cost of business at the ports.

The Command had, through its query and amendment seat tried to resolve all disputes bordering on proper classification and procedures for imports.

On revenue collection, the Apapa Customs image maker pointed out that they were given a monthly target of N27 million and considering the fact that the highest revenue ever generated in the Command in a single month was N25 billion in September 2011, it appeared even more unachievable to the undiscerning observer.

Bomadi noted that the first quarter of 2012 started on a shaky note, as general strikes took its toll on activities in the ports. This accounted for over N7 billion loss of revenue, attributable to the strikes alone.

Other factors that affected the down turn in commercial activity are factors that traditionally influence business operations in the country at the beginning of each New Year.