The Nigeria Customs Service has instituted a quarterly meeting with its stakeholders aimed at explaining the working of the customs and proffering answers to  questions agitating their minds.

The maiden stakeholders meeting was held in Port Harcourt last Wednesday, for states under the zone C.

The Zonal Coordinator, Zone C, Assistant Comptroller-General David Agbaje, said the forum would benefit both the stakeholders and the customs.

Agbaje said that since there seemed to be misconception on the part of the stakeholders over customs activities, the stakeholders would use the opportunity to ask questions on such activities.

“And when those questions are answered in the forum, they will go home feeling happy and with that, they will now make the customs job a lot easier,“ he said.

He commended the stakeholders for participating fully in the meeting, saying that their co-operation contributed to the success the Customs achieved in 2012.

Agbaje, however, called on the stakeholders to read the law of the nation, especially as it concerned import and export in other to understand more of their own duties.

Answering questions from the stakeholders, the Assistant Comptroller-General said customs officers were trained to do their job well and stakeholders should assist them by being abreast of the law requirements.

Agbaje said that the issue of five Customs check-points between Port Harcourt and Onitsha and four between Lagos and Onitsha would be looked into.

He explained that the meeting was made quarterly to be able to create constant interaction between the Customs and the stakeholders in order to have harmonious relationship.

A paper entitled: “Post-Clearance Audit, A  Modern Tool for Trade Facilitation and Compliance,” was delivered at the forum by the Comptroller, Post Clearance Audit, Comptroller Julius Olawuwo.

In the paper, Olawuwo said that with the growth of international trade, there was need for speedy clearance of cargoes at the point of entry or exit to facilitate trade.

He said that with the declining resources for Customs, administrations worldwide had necessitated the adoption of risk management and audit-based control.

According to Olawuwo, the limited documentation provided at the point of declaration of imported cargo is not adequate to confirm conformity particularly regarding rules of origin, value and classification of cargoes which, in turn, hinders collection of actual Customs duties.

“The modern tactics today is centered on post importation environment while data base is properly harnessed and profiling of selective and targeted suspect is encouraged,“ he said.