By GODFREY BIVBERE

_Apapa Area1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has halted operations at a cassava processing farm established following government’s call for investment in the sector.

The cassava processing farm, Thai Farms International Ltd, TFIL, which is based in Ogun state, had imported equipment for expansion purposes, which arrived Apapa port early October, 2013 but as at two weeks ago, the consignment is yet to be cleared from the port.

Vanguard gathered that on arrival at the port in Lagos, the clearing documents for the cargo were processed and cleared to exit from port in line with government policy that machines for cassava processing should have zero duty, after it was scanned and certified free to exist on January 5, 2013.

Investigation revealed that all the relevant officers and agencies that needed to sign for the consignment to exit the port have done so but the officers in charge of Customs Intelligent Unit, CIU, of the Command, refused to sign the release document on 7th of that same month.

The CIU officer’s reason for refusing to sign the released document, Vanguard gathered was based on his belief that the equipment could be used for other purposes.   The agent of TFIL, Vanguard learnt had written a protest letter to Customs Area Controller, CAC, demanding for his intervention on the January 13, 2013.