Stakeholders of various shades doing business at the Tin Can Island Customs Command, Apapa, Lagos were assembled on Monday to hear from the horse’s mouth, the plan of the Customs on how to assist them conduct their businesses without hitches.

The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, mni, told the assemblage that the Service was profoundly interested in the well being of importers and agents, who have consignments to clear at the ports.

In a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the Command, Ngozi Okwara, the Controller who emphasised again his theme for the year 2024, which is “A year For Stakeholders”, maintained that “the well-being of all who come to do business in the area command is a priority to him, the command and the service”.

Noting that the year is at its last quarter, Nnadi appreciated all efforts put in to ensure that the revenue for the year is achieved.

The Controller however called on all the stakeholders to embrace the spirit of compliance as far as trade regulation is concerned to ensure that this happens.

The CAC equally re-emphasised the struggles stakeholders go through during the ember season, especially towards the end of the year, assuring that genuine declarations from compliant traders will not have issues of delay at the port.

But he warned that this will not be the case for “those who think they can circumvent the system”, adding that they will “have themselves to blame as cutting of corners will not be negotiated”.

The Controller went further to state that he has ensured that “all new crested bonded terminals domiciled in TCIP has spaces available for stakeholders while they go about their businesses, but at the headquarters here, no such space has been created”.He promised that he would look critically into it as renovations are ongoing in the premises.

He advised the stakeholders to learn to keep the environment clean, pending when new bins will be distributed at designated areas, as a clean environment portrays a healthy lifestyle.

The CAC gave room for questions, which he answered and promised that all issues raised will be looked into with the PROs of the stakeholders as soon as possible.