BY GODWIN ORITSE

Ports in the Lagos area may become congested soon following hiccups currently being experienced in the implementation  of Pre-arrival Assessment Report, PAAR, a new cargo policy initiated by the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS.

The scheme, according to authoritative sources, ran into troubled waters when the Customs discovered that over 99,000 Risk Assessment Reports were issued by the scanning service providers few hours after Customs took over the process.

The Customs management in a bid to manage the situation sent a circular to its commands to immediately commence examination, scanning and releasing processes of cargoes that came in before the handing-over.
Besides, the Customs management has also deployed some Assistant Comptrollers-General to the Commands to ensure compliance with the directive.

Even though stakeholders have described the development as a deliberate attempt by the three service providers: Cotecna, SGS and Global Scan System to truncate the efforts of the Customs in running destination inspection effectively, the Comptroller General of Customs, Dikko Inde Abdullahi, weekend, issued a circular directing provisional release of the 99, 300 containers.

Addressing maritime stakeholders at the Apapa Custom Command yesterday, a high powered delegation of custom top brass led by ACG Tahir Musa took turns to update operators on the challenges facing the customs in implementing the PAAR.