Business
…Auctions Overtime Cargoes
The Nigerian Custom Service (NCS) is to auction not fewer than 272 vehicles, one boat, 1,046 Laden Containers and a number of other palletised/ packaged items, including steel rods, cement plant equipment, industrial generator, cable reel, chemicals and iron bending equipment declared as abandoned or overtime cargoes at the ports across the nation.
According to an impeccable sources from the Customs headquarters, the only thing that would prevent the exercise from being carried out is the consignees or licensed customs agents coming up to clear them before the end of this week, as the customs had earlier directed.
The sources added that the delay in carrying out the exercise was informed by the overseas trip of the Comptroller- General of NCS, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi.
At the arrival of the NCS boss, the sources posited that every thing will be put in place to auction the goals in line with the Federal Government rules and regulations on overtime or abandoned cargoes.
To this end, a fresh comprehensive list of all overtime and abandoned cargoes in all Nigerian Seaports and customs formations across the country is being compiled by the authorities.
As a way of ensuring a hitch-free exercise, a team called “Committee for Disposal of Overtime/ Abandoned Goods at the Port” has been put in place by the custom high command.
NCS has earlier said, goods that arrived Apapa/Tin Can/Island/Lilypond/Kirikiri Lighter Jetty/Murtala Mohammed Airport, Cargo and International, Onne, Port Harcourt, Calabar and Warri Ports which have become due as overtime/abandoned on or before November 6,2009,should be sold with further notice.
It was also gathered that as at November 6, 2009, the terminals in Lagos have a total of 1164 units of abandoned goods, while Onne port in Rivers State had 237 consignments.
Similarly, Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT) phase I has 20 containers, KLT ii has 42 containers, KLT II has 72 containers, SDV has 26, Brawal, 14 containers and Mid Maritime has 8 containers, and these terminals are under KLT Customs Area Command in Apapa Lagos.
Other areas include Lilypond Terminal, Lilypond Arae Command that has 20 containers and PTML Terminal Areas Command has 235 vehicles, Ikorodu Terminal under the Ikorodu Area Command has 117 containers, Lagos Port Complex (LPC) Apapa Area One Command has 15 containers.
Also Fano terminal, Apapa Area 1 Command has two containers, while Sapid 1B terminal and 2B terminal have 23 and 6 containers each at Apapa Area 1 Command.