By; KAYODE ATOFOLAKI, Lagos.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has concluded arrangements to replace obsolete scanners to reduce delay in cargo clearance at the seaports and land borders
.The Customs Comptroller-General, retired Col. Hameed Ali, said that the fund for the procurement of new scanners had been captured in the 2016 budget.
He noted that most of the scanners were obsolete and that the officials had been doing clearance manually.
“We are working with the Ministry of Finance to quickly acquire new scanners. The few ones that are working, we will make sure that we maintain them. I must confess that not all the scanners are working and for us to fast track clearance, the scanners are essential.
“All containers go through the scanners and after that, whichever one that is blank, is the one that will be subjected to physical examination. That is what is done globally. So, we are working seriously to make sure that we get scanners; we acquire scanners and put them in our ports, airports and the land borders. That would fast track our own clearance process.
“If the scanners are not working of course we will not be able to fast-track clearance and we must have to subject them to human examination. In doing that, delay is found. You know how long it takes to physically examine a 40ft container. If you have to bring out everything in it, physically look at it and certify that what is on paper is what is there”. He said.
According to him, this would take quite a bit of time for both the clearing agents and the customs officers.
The Comptroller General said that the solution to this was the acquisition of scanners, adding that that instability in foreign exchange rate had also affected the flow of imports.
Ali explained that Customs officers were still making sure they generate more revenue.
