Dr Abdullahi Dikko, Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service (NSC), said the Pre Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) system of the service would enhance management and revenue generation.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Dikko said this on Friday in Abuja at the official launching of PAAR ahead of the takeover of the Destination Inspection process from service providers.
The Federal Government had in December 2012, terminated the seven-year contract it signed with Cotecna, SGS and Global Scansystems Ltd for Nigeria Customs to take over the service.
The comptroller-general said PAAR would enhance trade facilitation and better collaboration with other agencies of the government to improve national security.
He said the service had taken measures to address the risks involved in the process, adding that he anticipated some problems at the beginning.
“This new regime we are starting promises better management of our revenue generation, operations, and better collaboration with other agencies of government to enhance national security.
“As we take over these processes, we will anticipate some hiccups at the beginning before we fully stabilise.
“As a service, we have taken measures to address these risks and manage them to the advantage of our stakeholders,’’ he said.
He said officers and men had been adequately trained to take up the responsibility, adding that a state of art centre had been put in place for PAAR.
“Officers and men of the Customs Service have been undergoing training over the years in preparation for this day and we are fully prepared to assume this important responsibility.
Dikko explained that the regime would be charged with the responsibility of managing all areas of the inspection processes.
He identified the areas as processing of electronic form, issuance of the PAAR to replace the Risk Assessment Report (RAR) formally issued by the service providers, among others.
The comptroller-general promised to reach out to traders and importers for enlightenment on PAAR system, adding that he would visit the traders and importer at the Lagos Trade Fair complex.
Mr Samson Kaltio, an Assistant Superintendent of Customs, who is a member of the PAAR Implementation Team said that the service developed an online application to perform the operation.
Kaltio said that the application performs the operation in stages for the purpose of efficiency, adding that importers would have their papers before the arrival of their goods.
“With the PAAR system, people will submit documents electronically from the comfort of their homes.’’
Kaltio also explained that when the processes are complete, the system would send an automatic email and SMS alert to the bank where the customer registered.
He said that PAAR system was in line with global best practices as most advanced countries of the world are using the same system. (NAN)
