The Tinapa blackmail

A certain “Investors operating within Tinapa business and leisure Free Trade Zone” group accused the Customs’ Comptroller General of Customs of “a deliberate decision…to shut down genuine economic activities within Tinapa Free Trade Zone.”In unsigned press releases published in the media, the petitioners sought to inject sectional colouration in their offensive against the NCS boss. […]

A certain “Investors operating within Tinapa business and leisure Free Trade Zone” group accused the Customs’ Comptroller General of Customs of “a deliberate decision…to shut down genuine economic activities within Tinapa Free Trade Zone.”
In unsigned press releases published in the media, the petitioners sought to inject sectional colouration in their offensive against the NCS boss. In their words, “We are at a loss how one can compare 826 containers that come into Tinapa in a year to the volume of trucks that smuggle rice and other items through Katsina Border alone. This has political implications as it appears the North wants to frustrate trade within the South-South and South-East zones.”
In further effort, obviously aimed at scare-mongering, they alleged that if the NCS did not back off and allow them unhindered operations, “there will be high crime rate in Cross River State and security of the citizenry can no longer be guaranteed.” Knowing very well that the president is from the South-south zone it is easily deducible the dark, inciting agenda of these crooked group. It is then little wonder it has basically failed to provoke the administration.
From careful dissection of the allegations against the NCS, it can be discerned from the substance that the effort is spurious and the forces behind them lack integrity and do not mean well for the Nigerian economy, which needs all the legitimate internal and external revenues it can access currently.
Over the years, the Onne Port has served as a transit facility for Tinapa FTZ-bound containers supervised by the NCS in consonance with statutory regulations. This process has been on for years without hiccups – that is until recently. Our findings indicate that certain elements who are suddenly interested in changing the supervision regime of the NCS for personal profit are generating a well-funded controversy being widely amplified in the media.
The efforts of these forces to exploit the FTZ as a channel for importation of contraband goods and fraudulent evasion of legitimate customs duty payments have been stoutly resisted by operatives of the NCS. The Customs deserve commendation for their courageous stand in the face of threats and blackmail. We should recommend this operational model for other federal government agencies.
It has been established that transfers from Customs to the FTZ have been frictionless until some mischievous licensees elected to abuse the spirit that informed setting up of FTZs in the first place. Increasing cases of diversion, smuggling of prohibited items from the FTZs into the Customs territory has appropriately provoked a tougher crack-down by the NCS to properly verify goods imported as well as secure revenue.
Combined with the fact that some licensees often submit flawed documentations, these have resulted in delays of releasing such containers by the Customs.
At a period of our national history when terrorism is on the rise, any forces masquerading as legitimate entrepreneurs but allegedly clandestinely trading in tools for propagating violence through our FTZs and engaging in acts that will short-change our revenue base should be properly seen for who they are and dealt with short shrift.
All well meaning Nigerians should call on all licensees to return to their books and transact their businesses in consonance with existing rules of engagement. Examples are companies like Combination Services Nigeria Limited, Quicker Nigeria Limited, Sky Run Nigeria Limited and several others who have been doing their businesses within the same operational environment as good models of compliance in the FTZ.
Nigeria’s economic development is a priority that must not be derailed or distracted, which makes it imperative for the Customs Service to maintain its course.  
 
Matthias wrote from Lome Crescent, Abuja