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The National Revenue Authority (NRA) has engaged Clearing and Forwarding Agencies and Shipping Agencies to address challenges affecting customs operations and strengthen government revenue collection.
The engagement provided an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss key issues affecting customs clearance, including clearance delays, compliance, identification of clearing agents, payment verification and other operational concerns.
Commissioner of the Customs Services Department, Tennyson Bio, urged the agencies to support efficient clearance processes and respond promptly to NRA requests relating to revenue performance.
Mohamed D. Salia, President of the Clearing and Forwarding Agencies, announced measures to ensure that all clearing agencies obtain official identification cards, citing concerns over the use of counterfeit identification cards.
NRA Commissioner General Abu Martin Kanneh said the engagement was convened to identify practical solutions to the challenges faced by the agencies and improve collaboration between the authority and industry stakeholders.
He encouraged the agencies to report NRA-related concerns through the appropriate channels, fulfil their tax obligations and support the government’s revenue mobilisation efforts.
The participating agencies welcomed the engagement and pledged to strengthen their cooperation with the NRA.
They also called for faster payment verification, improved transit and scanning processes, reduced clearance delays, better ICT and FTN services, increased industry training, clearer duty information for importers and stronger collaboration with the NRA.
The engagement forms part of the NRA’s efforts to improve customs operations, address challenges faced by industry stakeholders and enhance revenue mobilisation.
