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Eze Uchendu Applauds Compt. Olomu's Outstanding Performance In Apapa

By Anne Ejuka

 

...Berates APMT For Lack  of Capacity & Technicality

...Calls FG to Set Up Committee To Access APMT Operations In Nigeria


The remarkable performance of the Customs Area Controller of the Apapa Customs command, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu fsi has been commended by a renowned freight forwarder, the Chairman of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarder( NAGAFF), Apapa Chapter, Fowdr. Prince Eze Uchendu.

Accessing the Apapa Command under the control of Compt. Olomu,  the  chairman applauded the resilience and doggedness of the area controller in all areas of operation, in his words, "I think for now we have a good controller, the person of controller, Babatunde Olomu, since his inception as the CAC Apapa, I can say Apapa Command has never had it so good, so I can score the Nigeria customs high In all fields of endeavour, the controller has been a moving controller,  he's not a controller that stays in office. He comes to the terminals when there is need. He attends to issues appropriately in the policy of first come, first served, I think
he has what it takes to led, as a hard working and a well-trained officer, looking at his records since inception, he has been beating records and records. So for me, he's doing excellently very well. In terms of trade facilitation, cargo delivery, and the rest of them, he has been doing excellently well".

In the area of trade facilitation and stakeholders engagement within the Apapa Command, Uchendu said, " if that is what is needed to score 100%, I think the current Comptroller Olomu has it.  He has the listening ear, he has the virtual stakeholders' engagement,  and he even made time to sit with the five chairmen of the accredited association within the command to sample our opinion. We thank God he is putting most of the advice into work  and that is what is yielding dividends,  that is what is yielding to the revenue generation you are seeing in the command".

On challenges within the Apapa Command, the chairman frowned at the operations of the largest terminal in the port which is APMT describing it's operation as inimical to Nigerians an as such adversely affecting the economy and the trade facilitation efforts of the Nigerian Customs Service.
"It's quite regrettable that after 19 years of operation in Nigeria,  APMT does not have adequate machineries to carry out their contractual obligations. In short, they lack in all ramifications; They lack capacity, they lack machinery, and they lack technicality.  There is no way you would justify that it's taking APMT five days or more to position a container for scanning. Their inability to offer a quality service as regards to scanning is hindering trade. It's hindering the revenue generation of the government. It is affecting the economy. Their inability of loading containers that have been duly examined and released by customs and other government agencies within 24 hours is uncalled for" Uchendu stated

The renowned freight forwarder also question why APMT should be charging demurages on government approved public holidays. In his words, "Does it mean they are federation under our federation?  Or they don't abide under the rule of law?  APMT is charging Nigerians for services not rendered. You book your container today for examination, APMT will not be able to position your container on that particular day and they will keep charging you for their inefficiencies".

To stop these anomalies by APMT,  Eze Uchendu called on the Federal Government to set up a  high powered committee to thoroughly make a study of APMT operation in Nigeria and assess their performance since inception and In doing that, the critical stakeholders who patronize them on daily basis should be carried along to make their inputs.





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