Still basking in the euphoria of the takeover of full implementation of the Destination Inspection (DI) scheme, Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Dikko Inde Abdullahi, yesterday stormed Lagos with his top lieutenants to formally flag-off implementation of the new risk management platform for imported goods, the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR).
SHIPS & PORTS DAILY had reported yesterday that Dikko announced in Abuja on Friday that the Federal Government had directed NCS to assume full control of the scanning machines and commence the PAAR scheme in place of the Risk Assessment Report (RAR) hitherto used by the three service providers namely Cotecna Destination Inspection Limited (CDIL), Global Scan System Limited (GSSL) and SGS Nigeria Limited.
At the formal launch of PAAR at the Tin Can Island Port Command of the NCS yesterday, Abdulahi has charged officers of the Tin can Island port command to redouble their efforts in ensuring that the new import assessment regime succeeds.
He disclosed that that the Service performance under the PAAR regime between now and January will determine whether the president will give assent to the CEMA bill.
“We have taken our works from the Service providers; it is no longer a rumour. I am here with my DCG’s, ACG’s and even Controllers from the headquarters to inform you that the challenge now is on us and I am sure Tin can Island will never let me down because what I saw recently, last four months, I can testify that this command will carry the day and our performance from now till January will make Mr. president sign the CEMA bill”, he said.
He added: “You are very much aware this is a long battle fought and we must succeed. It is a fight from top to bottom and I want to thank Mr. President and also the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy for being behind us to take over.”
The visibly elated Comptroller General who commended the officers for generating all-time high revenue in August urged them to be of good behaviour, even as he admonished them to be up and doing in order to surpass their target.
“You are very much aware that our funding is hinged on the collection of the seven percent. The more revenue we collect, the more revenue we have. We are hanging on intervention fund and it is not forthcoming but if we work hard I can assure you that the seven percent will be ok for us and the one percent the service providers are collecting will also come to us”, Abdulahi stated.
Abdulahi who though complained of some officers’ poor attitude to work warned them to ensure they resume work on time pointing out that his management will not condone act of indiscipline on the part of any officer.
“Even if there is nobody to work with, come to the office as soon as possible. Be waiting for people to come and do the job not the people waiting for you. If you know you are travelling, don’t hold anybody to ransom. Transfer whatever is in your hand to the next person and make sure the work goes on without anybody delaying because the PAAR is all about trade facilitation. Nobody should cause the failure of what we have suffered for a long time,” he told the officers.
Dikko is expected to meet with traders at 10am today at the Trade Fair Complex, Lagos.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.