Customs insists that nobody will compromise the new scanners when deployed at the Tincan Island port, says spokesman
By Uzor Odigbo
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has assured that nobody will sabotage the new scanners when eventually deployed.
The Public Relations Officer, Tincan Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Mr Uche Ejesieme who gave this assurance in a chat with newsmen in Lagos said that the era the people were referring to was what he called the old order, adding that what the people thought was obtainable in the old order may not be obtainable now.
He said, “If there were people that sabotaged it back in the years, it is no longer possible because the crop of people that we have at the customs management and the way we do things now is actually different from what you might think is an old order.
“I want to believe that there is the sincerity of purpose in this instance because the CGC and his management are particularly interested in this and the officers have been sensitized enough. In this command, we have had series of sensitization and engagement with even the officers and stakeholders on what to expect, where the Customs Area Controller clearly outlined the merits of these scanners and everybody is on the same page as far as this is concerned.
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“There won’t be any issues of sabotage, there won’t be an issue of somebody trying to circumvent the process and there won’t be an issue of somebody trying to frustrate the process. I think if that was happening before, it has to be consigned to the dustbin of history. It won’t happen again.
“So, I want to actually clear the doubts by some people that may be customs officers are trying to sabotage the scanners. No! The customs of this period is actually different from what you think was obtainable before. There is a kind of very genuine interest in this because we know that with scanners, we are going to get more revenue. With the scanners the job will be more efficient, with scanners, it will lead to a huge turnaround and things like that. The advantages far outweigh the disadvantages and that is why we are very happy with this development.”
Ejesieme pointed out that this scanner issue in recent time had actually become a frequently asked question noting that it was also an opportunity for the Service to disabuse the minds of either stakeholders or patriotic Nigerians about the erroneous impression that these delays could be a deliberate attempt to frustrate the process of installation and full deployment of the scanners.
His words, “Without sounding immodest, the truth is that it took us quite some time to get these scanners to some of the major seaports and you will agree with me that scanners are not over the counter purchase, it’s a piece of very technical equipment and they are being manufactured according to specifications and at the end of the day, to God be the glory, we have taken delivery of these scanners in some of the major seaports.
“Also agree with me that it is a certified truism that with scanners, it will enhance our efficiency and with scanners, we will have a better turnaround and that is why even the customs officers need it more than that is contrary to most opinions because I have heard in some quarters that maybe customs are reluctant to deploy and things like that. It is actually a very wrong notion.
“The truth is that when the scanners came, all the Area Controllers went to inspect the scanners on arrival from the vessels.
For Tincan, the day the scanners arrived, the CAC and the principal officers actually went to Car Park C where the vessel dropped it to see the scanners and we were all excited. As soon as we received them, the officers having been trained, we started retraining of the officers who are going to man these scanners because once you say training, you don’t just stop with training, you train and retrain to actually refresh their memories and sharpen their reflexes more on what to expect from the new technology.
“And after that, a team came from the headquarters led by one DC Ekpenyong who is in charge of scanning at the headquarters. They came with the technical experts for the synchronization of these scanners into NICIS II so that you can actually get information straight from NICIS II.
“Then, at the end of the day, having finished that, what is now left is deployment and that is perhaps why the Area Controller that you mentioned stated with optimism that by February, the scanners will be deployed because I know that most of the major issue and technical issues have been taken care of remaining the final deployment.
“If you go to our scanning site, you will see that our officers are eager, they are prepared, they are retrained and the stage is actually set for final deployment of these scanners and when we are going to commission them, we are going to invite the media and the whole Nigerians will see that customs is actually fully set.”
He, however, urged Nigerians to keep faith with the Service even as he begged them to clearly understand that there was no hidden agenda as far as deployment of the scanners was involved.
“It has to follow this sequence that I have highlighted before it can be fully deployed. A lot of people, as I read somewhere, were saying before now the officers have been trained. It is not a kind of stagnant training, officers must be upwardly mobile in terms of training. What do I mean by that? You train today, tomorrow you go for a refresher course and you continue to train and that is the paradigm that the CGC has brought into the customs service. If you go to our Staff and Command College, Gwagwalada, you will see that some of the courses have been rejigged for training and retraining because we look at it as a very key component in the 21st-century customs operations.
“You can also pay a visit to some of these places; our Ashaye scanning site or the RORO scanning site and you will see that the stage is set and we are just waiting for that final deployment which is very imminent”, he stated.
The Tincan Island Customs spokesman went on to clarify that it’s not every consignment that would go through scanning insisting that most times, it worked better with homogeneous goods.
According to him, “If you come with heterogeneous products, don’t forget that the risk engine will trigger selectivity. It is not every consignment that will go through scanning, some will still have to go through physical examination for obvious reasons. But what we are saying is that with scanning, it will limit that physical contact and it will have a kind of added advantage.”
Reacting to calls in some quarters for the scanners to be handed over to the private sector operators for efficient and effective management, he said, “We have experts that can manage the scanners, the scanning unit has very technical officers who are well trained overseas and are technically sound and they are the ones that have been handling some of these things in collaboration with our foreign technical partners on this.
“So, the issue of maintenance will not be a problem.”
On the effective date for deployment of the scanners, Ejesieme, a Chief Superintendent of Customs quipped, “I want to align with what the Customs Area Controller of Apapa said in his briefing because I know he will have superior information and he’s a superior officer. But for me, if you ask me, I will say it is very imminent, it is actually around the corner because the customs needs scanning just like yesterday and we are eagerly looking forward to full commissioning and deployment.”
Photo: Comptroller Musa Baba Abdullahi, Customs Area Controller, Tincan Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service