Customs clears 98 containers of trapped power equipment

The Nigeria Customs Service has announced the release and evacuation of 98 out of 300 containers of power equipment trapped at the port for over 20 years.

The Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, announced this in Apapa on Friday during the flag-off of the evacuation exercise.

Adeniyi stressed that the consignments include high-capacity transformers, cables, switchgear and other transmission equipment imported through the Federal Ministry of Power and other government agencies like the Transmission Company of Nigeria, Niger Delta Power Holding Company, and so on and so forth.

He stressed that over the years, equipment imported for critical power projects remained uncleared in the ports and, in some cases, for between 14 and 20 years.

Adeniyi emphasised that following a presentation by the Honourable Minister of Power at the Federal Electricity Council, President Bola Tinubu directed the immediate clearance of the equipment.

He pointed out that the President also directed that relevant agencies resolve all outstanding charges and administrative bottlenecks without delay.

“In line with that presidential directive, this service has commenced the immediate clearance of more than 200 containers of power equipment. Today, I am here with the Honourable Minister of Power to flag off the release of the first 48 containers from ENL Terminal. Another 50 containers at other terminals in Tincan and other ports will also be released,” Adeniyi said.

The CGC said that the service is working closely with the Federal Ministry of Power, the Transmission Company of Nigeria, the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, Nigerian Ports Authority, and other stakeholders in the business to complete this exercise as soon as possible.

He said that the service has deployed every facilitation measure within its mandate, including “priority processing of consignments, dedicated officers for joint examination, the application of approved waivers or charges that are approved during the period when the goods remain out there.”

While highlighting that technical experts will inspect the equipment and serviceable items will be deployed to ongoing and upcoming projects, including transmission corridors and substations across the country, Adeniyi said that obsolete items will be disposed of in accordance with extant regulations.

He acknowledged the commitment of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele, for approving the waivers on the collected charges of this consignment.

Adeniyi maintained that some contractors awarded government projects imported equipment and abandoned them at the ports, failing to execute projects for which public resources were committed.

He warned that such onduct denies Nigerians the electricity, jobs and services these projects were meant to deliver.

Adeniyi said that contractors who accept government projects, are paid for them and fail to deliver should therefore be regarded as engaging in economic sabotage.

He also stated that the service would work with the supervisory ministry and the relevant oversight agencies to identify government consignments that remain uncleared under such circumstances.

“We are not talking about only power sector equipment. We are talking about so many other imports that are brought into our country. We hear of donations, we hear of items that are brought in by international organisations, by global agencies,” Adeniyi stated.

He said that the service would remain committed to the Federal Government’s drive to revive the power sector and complete the support for this.

“We urge all ministries, departments and agencies with consignments at ports to engage with Nigeria Customs and Border Protection so that no project critical to national development is held back at our ports or at our border stations,” he said.

Earlier, the Minister of Power, Joseph Tegbe, had said that the affected containers were acquired for projects intended to expand the country’s transmission network, relieve the overburdened substations and improve the capacity to deliver electricity across the country.