Stakeholders’ in the maritime business have lauded the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, for prevailing on government to suspend the four per cent Free-on-Board (FOB) value on imports into the country.
FoB value is an instrument used by Customs Administrations to assess import duties and taxes in which freight and insurance costs are excluded.
The government, through the NCS recently announced a hike in the FoB from one to four per cent, a move that was expected to jack up prices of commodities and consumer goods.
During a ceremony last Thursday in which the Customs boss was confired with the “Iconic Maritime Personality of the Year Award 2024”, top industry players who graced the occasion said the suspension have further saved the country’s dwindling economy.
Chairman of the occasion, which was jointly organised by a coalition of Nigerian maritime journalists in Lagos, former National President of Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu said that the suspension was a relief to importers and Customs agents.
Shittu, who eulogised Adeniyi as NCS Comptroller General as well as the Controller General of the Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders, noted that the CGC was instrumental to his success when he was the National President of ANLCA.
He disclosed that Adeniyi constantly guided him with useful advice that partly accounted for his successful tenure. He congratulated the CGC for the well deserved award coming from maritime journalists, the watchdogs of the sector.
Also, the Chairman of the Customs Consultative Council, Alhaji Hakeem Olanrewaju eulogised Adeniyi’s qualities and congratulated him for being celebrated by the maritime media with an award.
Olanrewaju, who drew the attention of freight forwarders to what he called changes in the polity, also enjoined his colleagues in the freight forwarding business to have attitudinal change.
ANLCA’s Vice President, Prince Pius Oduntan commended the CGC for being a grassroots leader who listens to the people, an attitude that has brought a positive change. He promised that his association would continue to partner with NCS under the CGC leadership.
The National President of the Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON), Otunba Frank Ogunojemite described the CGC as a downright good man and a natural leader.
He stated that the CGC was his class captain in the university and later President of the department.
He added that he was a sports enthusiast who later became the leader of Man ‘o’ War.
Describing him as extremely patriotic and very humble, he said that the CGC has been keeping his old friends without looking at his present status.
On behalf of the maritime journalists, Mr. Oke Ibeke commended Adeniyi for his superlative performance which, he said, has changed the narrative in the Customs.
Ibeke commended the CGC for delivering on his mandate in areas of revenue collection, anti-smuggling activities, trade facilitation and others, and noted that this was the first time journalists from various media houses covering a sector would agree jointly to honour a chief executive officer of an agency.
Ibeke further pointed out that the unusual agreement was not for sycophancy but to give honour to a man who is a game changer.
He said that President Bola Tinubu must have seen in the CGC special qualities of an accomplished administrator before making him the CGC, adding that it is heartwarming that he has so far not been a disappointment with the trust reposed on him by the President.
Emphasising that Customs is key to the economic development of any nation, Ibeke called on the Federal Government to give the Service more powers and political support to be able to deliver better on its mandate.
