Business
No Cashless Payments At PH Fair – Survey
One month after the
implementation of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s cashless policy in Rivers State, transactions at the 9th Port Harcourt trade fair in Isaac Boro Park have not been affected by the policy.
The Tide’s survey at the trade fair venue over the weekend, revealed that customers were paying cash for all their purchases, as there were no Automate Teller Machines (ATM) and Point of Sales (POS) services to aid the cashless policy compliant for customers.
Speaking in a chat with The Tide, the sales representative of Vitafoam, Mr Clement A. Ese, said that there was nothing like cashless policy in the trade fair as many people did not even know what it meant.
Ese said it was difficult for anyone to talk about cashless policy when there were no ATM and POS services around, stating that one cannot even find any bank within the trade fair venue “except Enterprise Bank that is there to look for customers”.
He noted that in developed countries, “when you introduce something, you educate the people about it. Cashless is meant for the literate population and we have not seen serious sensitisation on the policy”.
The sales representative also noted that people have developed hatred for the use of ATM because of withdrawal notifications even when the machines have not paid the customers.
A civil servant, Mr Iyenemi Briggs who was at the trade fair to buy things expressed disappointment over the issue of carrying cash around to pay for goods when those transactions would have been cashless.
“The disadvantages of carrying much cash around is serious. There is no cashless policy here and I wonder why.”
“The banks are not here, showing that the banks are sabotaging the policy”, he said, wondering why Africans find it difficult to adjust to change.
He, however, called on the media to do more publicity in the area of educating, entertaining and informing the people about the operations of the policy.
Mrs Ato Aseku, who deals on kitchen utensils said the sales have been very poor and that there are few customers, adding that, “it is when you see customers, you talk about cash or cashless”.
She said that nobody has come to ask of POS and that nobody is using POS in the entire trade fair.
The Director of Ben Zacky Limited, dealers of Generators and Cookers, Mr Ben Zacky, told our correspondent that no customer has even asked of the POS, adding that most people do not know what is cashless.
He noted that the cashless policy even affected their business as people have limited amount of money they can withdraw in a day.
Zacky said that this year’s trade fair has not picked up till now, adding that companies are yet to recover the cost of their stands.
The Director of Madu’s Global Ventures, Chief Chijioke Nwokedi, blamed Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, for what he called the low turnout in the trade, adding that the increase in price for the stands are responsible for the empty stands here and there.
He noted the need for the chamber to apologise to companies in order to bring them back to the fair, as he rated the organisation poor.
On the cashless policy implementation, he said, “there is no cashless policy here, no POS, ATM and even if anybody pays one with cheque, I will cash it before releasing the goods to the customer.
For officers and men of the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the battle is not over until smuggling is over.
In the wake of Wednesday May, 8, 2024, the ever vigilant officers, acting on a tip-off, intercepted 177 sacks and 61 kegs of 25 litres containing petroleum products, valued at about N8.750,000million.
The items were intercepted along Isalu Creek, Badagry Waterway en-route Benin Republic.
While briefing newsmen, the Command’s Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, said: “This seizure is most economically significant to the Command at this period of scarcity of Petroleum Products, especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in our cities, and shows the anticipatory posture in our response to economic saboteurs.
“At about 2:330hrs on Wednesday 8th May 2024, while on joint patrol by teams in the Command, credible intelligence was received of the movement of 2 boats laden with what was suspected to be petroleum products concealed in sacks. Upon receipt of the information, the team moved into Isalu creeks, Badagry waterway.
“On sighting the approach of the Officers, the smugglers took to their heels through the shore of the Creek. The loaded boats were then towed to the station at Badagry where preliminary examination was conducted and transferred to Western Marine Command Headquarters, Ibafon, Apapa, Lagos.
“Careful examination at the Command Headquarters revealed that the arrest was found to contain One Hundred and Seventy Seven (177) Sacks and Sixty One (61) Kegs of 25 Litres Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) containing Twelve Thousand Five Hundred (12,500) Liters with a total Duty Paid Value standing at Eight Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N8,750,000) only”.
Bamisaiye noted that the action of the smugglers is a contravention of Section 245 & 254 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 which the service, through Western Marine Command, is responsible for enforcing.
“The Command, under the leadership of Compt. PK Bamisaiye, is poised more than ever to rid the waterways of all acts of smuggling and economy sabotage for the benefit of the growth of economy of Nigeria”, he said
Bamisaiye said so far, no suspect was arrested in the Command’s anti-smuggling operations.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
Petroleum products being sought by motorists have disappeared from virtually all filling stations within Lagos and its environs, but are now booming in business in retail outlets.
Investigations by our correspondent revealed that while the product could not be got at some of the petrol service stations, activities are in top gear in the local retail outlets where the price has gone beyond the reach of users.
It was also gathered that in some filling stations supplied with the products, preference are often given to retail outlet operators by petrol attendants against the consuming public.
A source, directly involved in the business, said some petrol dealers are cashing on the irregular supply to divert the products to retail outlets where they could easily make their gains.
It was also gathered that some sales representatives in the service of major oil marketing firms indulged in the diversion exercise because of their personal interest.
At the retail outlets a liter goes for N950,00 against the normal N760,to N800 at some stations.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
The Nigeria Customs Service Board (NCSB) has confirmed the appointment of five Deputy Comptroller-Generals (DCGs) and eight Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACGs) of Customs during its 59th regular meeting.
The meeting, chaired by the Honorable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, was held at the Nigeria Customs Service Headquarters in Abuja last Tuesday.
National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, gave details of the confirmed appointments as: O.O. Peters (DCG /Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (rtd); B.M. Jibo (DCG Enforcement Inspection & Investigation); and B.U. Nwanfor (DCG Excise, Free Trade Zone & Industrial Incentives).
Others are: S.A. Bomia (DCG, Commander Training and Doctrine Command); and C.K. Niagwan (DCG, Tariff & Trade).
The Assistant Comptrollers General (ACGs) are: B. Imam (ACG Board); A.A.S. Oloyede (ACG, Trade & Tariff); S.K. Dangaldima (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘B’); A. Abdul Azeez (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘D’); S.A. Yusuf (ACG, Human Resource Development); N.P. Umoh (ACG, Training and Doctrine Command); C.O. Obih (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘C’); and S. Chiroma (ACG, Strategic Research and Policy).
The new appointments, according to the statement, were made to fill the vacancies created by some senior officers who recently retired from the Service, noting that the principles of federal character, seniority and merit guided the appointments approved by the board.
“These appointments are a testament to the officers’ exemplary services and dedication to the Nigeria Customs Service. The NCSB remains committed to providing strategic leadership to ensure effective and efficient service delivery for optimum performance”, he said.
While thanking the retired members of the management for their meritorious services, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, congratulated the newly confirmed officers and charged them to redouble their efforts to ensure the service attains greater heights in its mandates of revenue generation, suppression of smuggling, and trade facilitation amongst others.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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