The Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Zainab Ahmed, yesterday inaugurated three newly installed NUCTECH mobile scanners to boost operations of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).
The three scanners were installed at the Apapa and Tin Can Island Port in Lagos, and the Onne Port, in Rivers states, respectively.
Speaking at the inauguration at the APM Terminals, Apapa, Lagos, the minister disclosed that 120 officers of the NCS have been trained to operate the scanners, adding that this will modernize office operations in line with international best practices.
Ahmed noted that the current process of physical examination of cargoes is time-consuming, causing loss of revenue to the government and cannot be compared with the scanning of cargoes which is carried out in minutes and with enhanced capacity to detect prohibited imports that are concealed in cargoes.
She said the inauguration of the three new scanners is a milestone in the efforts to expedite Customs operations, enhance ease of doing business, facilitate trade, prevent port congestion, increase revenue generation to the government and improve national security.
The minister assured that efforts are being made to procure more scanners for the seaports, land borders and airports in Nigeria.
She said: “This process enables more cargoes to be scanned and brings about the desired efficiency and effectiveness in Customs cargoes examinations.
“I, therefore, implore the management of the NCS to collaborate with the scanners contractor, to ensure proper maintenance and full utilization of the scanners within the 30 months provided in the contract agreement, as well as enhanced capacity building and training of 120 NCS scanning officers.”
Previous scanners
Ahmed also recalled that the Federal Government in 2005 contracted the provision, installation, operation and management of X-ray scanners and computerized risk management system for the examination of goods on build-own-operate and transfer (BOOT) basis.
The contract was awarded to three Scanning Service Providers (SSPs), including Cotecna Destination Inspection Limited; Societe Generale De Surveillance Limited; and Global Scan Systems Limited for a period of seven years.
“At the expiration of the contract in December, 2012, it was extended for a period six of months which ended in June 2013. Subsequently, the government entered into a Transition Agreement, which terminated on 30 November, 2013, and the NCS commenced the operations of the scanners.
“However, upon the exit of the Scanning Service Providers (SSPs), some of the scanners became dysfunctional which resulted in physical examination of goods by the NCS,” she said.
…the current process of physical examination of cargoes is time-consuming, causing loss of revenue to the government and cannot be compared with the scanning of cargoes which is carried out in minutes and with enhanced capacity to detect prohibited imports that are concealed in cargoes.
Also speaking, the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, Hameed Ali, assured that the Service will be fully responsible for the management and operations of this equipment.
“Unlike previous attempts at managing the scanners, our officers have been trained up to Level 2 maintenance capability. This ensures that the day-to-day management of these machines will be proficiently handled by our officers who have been trained and certified by the manufacturers to carry out basic maintenance.
“We appreciate our partners, the terminal operators, who have taken the pains to adjust their operations to suit the innovations of the moment. Our continuous collaboration will ensure that cargos are promptly delivered for scanning and evacuated from the ports as soon as they are certified to be compliant by our officers and other regulatory agencies,” he said.
Ali, a retired colonel, reiterated the importance of wilful compliance to extant laws regarding international trade, adding that the Customs is ready to assist compliant traders.
“We know that this equipment will be of special benefit to manufacturers who import homogenous items in large volumes. We also know that importers of high-risk goods will no longer have any place to hide.
“So we are hereby putting recalcitrant traders on notice. They either change or be ready to face the full consequence of their actions” he warned.
