Customs Yet To Commence Usage Of Scanners, Five Weeks After Reception

NIGERIA Customs Service (NCS), is yet to commence the usage of the electronic scanners it received five weeks ago.

Cargo examination at the Tin Can Island Area Command of the (NCS), is still being done manually which slows down the process of clearing imported goods.

According to information from the Tin Can Island Area Command, delay in the deployment of the scanner has been attributed to software installation

“The scanners are yet to be fully deployed as installation of software and subsystems is ongoing and this is going side by side with retraining of scanning officers.

All these processes are in preparation for the full deployment where the Minister and Comptroller-General (of Customs) will be available for the commissioning,” spokesperson for the command, Uche Ejesieme, said.

Reacting to the issue, Security Expert, Kowe Olamide, said there is nothing delaying the usage of the scanners apart from corruption.

Kowe, a security expert and analyst, claimed that some NCS officials are responsible for the failure or delay in deployment of the scanners, because they know what they are enjoying, which they are about to lose when the scanners are finally deployed.

He opined that these mobile scanners when deployed will bring an end to the manual process which is currently at play.

These scanners will afford importers the opportunity to clear goods in record time, giving room for efficiency and more productivity. It will facilitate trade and discourage corrupt practices among government officials at the port.

The question now is when will the scanners be deployed if after five weeks we are still preparing and training officials on the usage of the gadgets.