Address unnecessary delays of imported parcels, Customs warns Courier companies

The Acting Customs Area Controller of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Area Command, Deputy Comptroller Jacob Onele, has urged courier companies to take proactive measures to address unnecessary delays in the processing of imported parcels before presenting them to Customs for assessment.

In a statement released on Friday, Onele disclosed this during a familiarisation tour of courier facilities and private hangars under his supervision.

The tour, which aimed to gain first-hand knowledge of courier companies’ operations, identify operational challenges and strengthen working relationships with key stakeholders, commenced at ARAMEX before proceeding to UPS, FedEx, DHL and NIPOST.

At ARAMEX, the Country Manager, Mr Faisal Jarmakani, received the Acting Controller and his entourage and conducted them around the facility. During the visit, the Acting Customs Area Controller was briefed on the company’s operational procedures and the challenges affecting its activities.

The engagements provided Onele with an opportunity to hear directly from courier service officers and staff about the challenges affecting their operations, particularly those associated with the recently adopted Unified Customs Clearance System (B’Odogwu).

During the engagements, representatives of the courier companies expressed appreciation for the visit and pledged their commitment to working closely with the new Customs principal and his team.

They also assured him of their continued support for compliance with existing laws and regulations, with a view to supporting revenue generation, improving compliance and facilitating legitimate trade.

In his response, Onele expressed satisfaction with the warm reception, cooperation and willingness of stakeholders to support his administration and comply with relevant laws and regulations. He also appreciated the cooperation extended to officers of the Command working within the various facilities.

However, he urged some operators to improve the working conditions of Customs officers deployed to their facilities, particularly by ensuring that their offices were conducive and habitable for effective service delivery.

Addressing the operational challenges raised by courier staff, Onele assured them that he would do everything within his capacity to resolve the issues.

He further stated that matters beyond his authority would be escalated to the Headquarters for appropriate intervention. He stressed the need for compliance to ensure speedy processing and seamless trade facilitation.

The familiarisation tour concluded with visits to private hangar operators, beginning with ExecuJet at Legend, followed by Nest Aviation and, finally, Afrijet. The visits provided further opportunities to engage with stakeholders in the private aviation sector and highlighted the Acting Controller’s determination to strengthen collaboration and improve operational oversight.

The familiarisation exercise reflects the Acting Controller’s commitment to proactive leadership, effective stakeholder relations, improved working conditions for officers and men of the Command, enhanced revenue generation and the facilitation of legitimate trade in line with existing laws and regulations.