TRS will end cargo clearance delays, improve port efficiency, others-Customs
By Temitope Adebayo
The Comptroller-General, of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Adewale Adeniyi, has expressed optimism that the implementation of the Time Realise Study (TRS) will end delays in cargo clearance and achieve a 24-hour port operation.
Adeniyi said the TRS is aimed at improving port efficiency and competitiveness by identifying and eliminating obstacles in port operations.
He said it was imperative to understand the causes of delays in cargo clearing, pinpoint areas of delay, analyse the reasons behind them, and implement effective solutions to streamline the process.
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“We cannot reduce the time of clearing cargo if we do not know what is causing it and where it’s been delayed.
“First, we have to identify the cost, the areas where there are delays, understand the curse, and then apply the right solutions to them.
“It will be my pleasure to clear cargo from our ports in one day. We were doing it for two days before, so why can’t we do it for one day? That is what the TRS exercise is all about,” Adeniyi said.
He noted that the TRS report is expected to be released within six months once all the systems are automated and integrated for effective operations.
The customs boss assured the public that the findings of the TRS would be made available to the government and stakeholders within the specified timeline.
He emphasised the readiness of the customs management to propose necessary legal amendments to address any delays caused by existing laws.
Adeniyi said that NCS invited three ministers: the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, and the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, during the launch of TRS, to enable them to address delays in cargo clearance.
