New Customs Act provides punitive sanction against violators — CG

The Acting Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, has said there will be no room for complacency as the new Customs Act contains punitive sanctions against violators.

Daily Trust reports that the defunct Customs and Excise Management Act Cap C45 LFN 2004 (CEMA) was enacted in 1958 and had remained in operation since then without any significant amendment.

Subsequently, former President Muhammadu Buhari in May 2023 signed the new Customs Act after several attempts were made in the past to cause amendments to repeal the CEMA proved abortive.

Speaking yesterday at a stakeholders sensitization workshop on the Act, Adeniyi said, “The previous legislation did not provide punitive sanction for the violation of the Customs Law.

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“Remember this was enacted in 1958 and some of the penalties were ridiculous. In some parts of the law, some fines were written in pennies, and when you translate them they mean nothing.

“So criminals are always willing to commit crime because they know they will only get a slap on the wrist. But this legislation brings heavy punitive sanction against violators of the laws,” he explained.

Speaking on how technology will play a role within the provisions of the new Act, Adeniyi noted that “Between 1958 and when CEMA was enacted, a lot of things have changed in the way we conduct our business; the dynamics, the volume of international trade have changed tremendously because technology has revolutionalised how we do our things and the Customs is not exempted.

As such, we need legislation that will allow the infusion of technology and innovation in our operations and this is what the new legislation has brought.”