By Yakubu Salisu, Kano
The Nigeria Customs Service in partnership with World Customs Organization (WCO) and Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP) flagged off sensitization programme for it’s Zone B and D officers and other stakeholders on Advance Ruling System (ARS).
The sensitization on Advance Ruling System (ARS) organized by Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in collaboration with German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) in Kano Wednesday aim to provide transparency and certainty to international trade minimizing disputes, delays and associated costs when processing cargo from customs control.
According to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, who was represented by the Zonal Coordinator Zone B, ACG SK Dangaladima the sensitization aimed to educate and equip Officers and Men in the Zone in preparation for the implementation of the procedures and concept of Advance Ruling.
He said, the programme is part of the agenda of the present administration to build the capacity of Officers and Men of the service through continues training there by enhancing the knowledge, ability, and behavior of Officers and Men to effectively perform their duties in line with the international best practices.
Dangaladima added that Advance Ruling is one of the Customs procedures captured in the Nigeria Customs Service ACT 2023 Section 24 (Sub-Section 1-9) which equally align with Article 3 of World Trade Organization (WTO) Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and Standards 9.8 and 9.9 of the Revised Kyoto Convention (2006).
That Advance Ruling is therefore a measure in which Nigeria Customs Service provide a legally-binding decisions on
importer’s request regarding Classification, Valuation and Origin of goods before they are imported.
He charged Officers and Men of the Nigeria Customs Service from Zone B and D present to seize the sensitization as a great opportunity to learn from the wealth of experience of the resource persons and encouraged them to
open their minds and understand the legally binding nature of advanced ruling and it’s implications on both the service and our critical stakeholders.
in his remarks, the Host, Acting Area Comptroller of Customs, Kano/Jigawa Area Command, Dauda Ibrahim Chana represented by Deputy Comptroller of Admin (DC), Isa Suleiman Ateba described the programme “timely” and a step in the “right direction” which will no doubt further enhance activities of the Customs Service in the region and country at large.
He charged officers of the service to put into good use, knowledge acquired from the programme to better applicable processes of the Service while assuring relevant stakeholders of the Service’s resolve on trade facilitation and ease of doing business.