By Uzor Odigbo
The Ministry of Finance has purchased three new scanners to boost e-Customs oppression.
The Nigeria Customs Service disclosed this on Wednesday, stressing that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has also expressed commitment to purchasing four additional scanners.
It further said that the CBN would establish the control centre for monitoring all scanning sites in their bid to boost national economy, especially agricultural sector.
According to a statement signed by DC, Joseph Attah, the public relations officer, the development indicates that within the next six months, NCS will have about seven functional scanners to be mounted at strategic entry points even before the full deployment of e-Customs components which will see to the deployment of 135 modern scanners.
In the same vein, the agency’s efforts to prevent the entry of items that could compromise the security of citizens, economy and the well being of the people resulted in the seizures of 4,304 assorted items with a duty paid value of N28,287,285,847.52.
These seizures include arms, ammunitions, illicit drugs, used clothing, vegetable oil, frozen poultry and foreign rice among others that have grave consequences on economy, security and well being of Nigerians.
Similarly, the agency said it generated the sum of N1,562,115,419,216.32 for the year 2020. Amount generated is over the target of N1,380,765,353,462.00 over the sum of N1,342,006,918,504.55 generated in 2019 despite the covid-19 pandemic.
On the feat, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col, Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd), said that it was the result of resolute pursuit of what was right and willingness to adapt to changes brought about by global health challenges occasioned by covid-19.
“The service revenue generation profile has continued to be on the rise annually as the ongoing reforms in the Service insist on:
“Strategic deployment of officers strictly using the standard operating procedure.
“Strict enforcement of extant guidelines by the tariff and trade department.
“Automation of the Customs process thereby eliminating vices associated with the manual process.
“Robust stakeholder sensitization resulting in more informed/voluntary compliance.
“Increased disposition of officers and men to put national interest above selves.”