The National
Association of Auctioneers (NAA) and the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) are in
disagreement over what constitutes the right processes and procedures to
adopt
in the disposal of seized goods that have been legally forfeited to the
government.
While the
auctioneers insist the Customs ought to involve them in the auctioning of
seized goods and overtime cargoes, the Customs on its part believes otherwise,
saying it follows the rules enshrined in the Customs and Excise Management Act
(CEMA) to conduct any auction.
Speaking
during a courtesy visit to the Sun Newspapers office in Abuja Wednesday, the
National Secretary of NAA, Isibor Benjamin Abhulimen said the group was worried
that Customs was planning to embark on a massive auction via electronic means
that does not have any legal backing and yet insulating his association along
in the entire process.
The sun reported that while picking
holes in the e-auction arrangement, Abhulimen said the procedure was opaque as
Customs still controls the portal and can manipulate it.
However, in a
swift reaction to NAA’s position, the Spokesman of Customs, Joseph Attah said
Customs had never involved the auctioneers in their disposal of forfeited goods
because there was no need to.
“Our own
auction is not the type NAA is talking about. We follow the rules of CEMA on
auction. Let the NAA come to us so that we properly brief them. They should not
be going to media houses”, he said.
Meanwhile, NAA
says Customs type of auctions do not give room for competitive bidding.
“Our role is
like a referee in a football match. We moderate proceedings. We are
professionals and we have our electronic portals. We have written several
letters to the CG but no response. We took our plea to the National Assembly.
We had a stakeholders meeting. We gave our own position where called for the
repeal of the Customs Act.
“It is obvious
and very clear that the CG Customs is acting without following due process and
the Law, because there is no existing legal frame work that enables the NCS to
sell seized and contrabands goods by e-auction.
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