Disposal Of Overtime Cargo : Customs Inaugurate Committee To Speed Up Port Decongestion In Nigeria

Disposal of Overtime Cargo : Customs (NCS) inaugurates committee to speed up port decongestion in Nigeria.

Development arises in response to the new Customs Act’s provisions, which was signed by former President, Buhari.

The Act empowers the NCS to dispose of containers that have exceeded their allotted time within the ports.

The Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has officially launched a committee on “Disposal of Overtime Cargo” to speed up the decongestion of overcrowded ports burdened with an excess of overtime cargo.

A statement by NCS said the development arises in response to the new Customs Act’s provisions, which empower the NCS to dispose of containers that have exceeded their allotted time within the ports.

Speaking at the launch of the committee on 8 November 2023 at the NCS Headquarters in Abuja, Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi said :

“It’s worth noting that approximately six months ago, the new NCS Act received the former President Mohammed Buhari’s signature, ushering in substantial modifications to the previous protocols governing the disposal of overtime cargo,” the CGC stated.

According to him, the provision of the NCS Act 2023 mandated that the disposal of cargo exceeding its allotted time can now only occur through a court order.

“The Act also stipulates that goods must be disposed of through public auction or tender, to be widely publicized in advance through national newspapers, television, and the service’s official website,” CGC explained.

Acknowledging the initiative, the General Manager of MD’s office, Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Durowaiye Ayodele, expressed his relief, highlighting the issue of over 7,000 overtime containers that have remained for years across the ports.

“We have containers that have been there for over ten years, occupying economic space for which we are unable to dispose. So this is a significant relief for our operations. We are delighted that we have reached a point where we can begin to remove some of these lingering containers and overdue cargo from the port,” he stated.

In his remarks, Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, in charge of Human Resources Development, Greg Itotoh, affirmed that with the support of the Nigerian Ports Authority, the changes and new procedures will ensure more streamlined trade operations.

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