…As Customs brokers urge members: Use CRFFN dispute resolution desk to settle challenges***
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Presidential Committee has
begun the distribution of rice, other food items and relief materials to 97
IDPs and orphanages in Katsina State.
Mr. Yakubu Salihu, Chairman of the sub-committee, disclosed
this on Saturday in Katsina.
Salihu said the committee had distributed 6,725 bags of 50kg
of rice and 3,425 containers of 25 litres of Cooking Oil to the IDPs and
orphanage .
“We have shared 1,259 bags of 50kg bags of sugar and 2004
cartons of Macaroni.
“The committee has shared 877 bags of second hand clothes,
7,780 rubber shoes, and 90 cartons of rubber slippers”, he said.
Salihu, a Controller of Customs, said the service was
directed by Federal Government to distribute contraband seized by customs from
smugglers to IDPs camps across the country.
He called on the beneficiaries to make good use of the items
given to them by the Federal Government.
Meanwhile, Some Customs Brokers in Lagos on Saturday, urged
the freight forwarding members to use the Alternative Conflict Resolution desk
set up by the Council for the Regulation of Freight Forwarding in Nigeria (CRFFN)
to settle trade disputes.
Mr Increase Uche, CRFFN council member, said the council has
taken the initiative to set up Alternative Conflict Resolution desk in order to
fast track and address unresolved trade disputes in the sector.
According to him, the Alternative Conflict Resolution desk
is necessary as there were many unresolved trade disputes in the maritime
sector in Nigeria that were still pending in the court.
“The inability of the nation’s judicial to quickly dispense
judgment on maritime-related cases was affecting the flow of businesses in the
port.
“There are some cases, such as undue charges and system
failure in port, which are still pending and could easily be settled with the
help of the CRFFN dispute resolution scheme.
“Also the more trade conflicts linger on, the more the
investors involved losses money and goodwill.
“But when it is quickly settled, lost of capital and assets
will be reduced and confidence in the sector will be heightened,” he said.
He, therefore, said that the Council was working hard to
ensure that most of the issues that cause cargo clearing transaction dispute
were curtailed.
Also, Mr Giddy Sewa-Soleji, a broker, and Chairman
Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) said that the dispute
resolution desk has been helpful.
According to him, many cases that are still pending in court
are mostly internationally trade-related disputes that could rub the sector of
transactions.
The chairman called on CRFFN to compel shipping companies to
construct holding Bayes to ease gridlock around the Lagos port area.
He said that since inception in 2018 the Council resolution
desk has been stabilising the rise of trade crisis that could have lingered