Customs service urges port users to clear cargoes at weekends
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has reminded freight forwarders and other port users that they can take delivery of cargoes at weekends.
The public relations officer of the Apapa Area 1 Command, Mr Dera Nnadi, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday that customs officers had always been on duty at the port on Saturdays and Sundays without agents showing up to clear their clients' cargoes.
He explained that the Area Controller, Mr Rasheed Taiwo, had on several occasions appealed to clearing agents to take advantage of weekends to clear cargoes as parts of efforts to ensure smooth operations at the port.
``The controller has directed that Saturday and Sunday should not be different from any other operational period, particularly now that destination inspection is in practice,'' he said.
The spokesman said that the Automated System of Customs Data (ASYCUDA) would also be on at weekends to process relevant documents for cargo clearance and listed light traffic as one of the advantages of weekend operations.
Nnadi said that the command had concluded arrangements to organise a stakeholders' forum next week, saying that the forum was being organised in conjuction with APM Terminal Limited.
According to Nnadi, the forum will appraise the implementation of destination inspection, port concessioning, the ongoing port reform programme and its impact on the Apapa Port.