VICTORIA ONU, ABUJA
COMPTROLLER-GENERAL of the Nigeria Customs Service, Hameed Ali, on Friday, reminded his officers and men to be fully computer literate and Information and Communications Technology compliant, warning that those who fall below the requisite standard would be flushed out in 2023.
The e-Customs regime will be in operation from 2023.
Ali gave the advice in Abuja at the graduation ceremony of 80 Customs officials who underwent courses in the Junior and Senior cadre at the Customs Command and Staff College, Gwagwalada.
Forty officers graduated in the Senior Course 4, while another 40 were for the Junior Course 8.
According to the CG, the recent approval of the e-Customs project by the Federal Executive Council is a wake-up call to all members of the Customs community that it will no longer be business as usual, as officers and men are expected to ensure effective service delivery.
He said, “e-Customs is a game changer. It will reduce human contact at various entry and exit points. You no longer need much paper work and all that.
“We will move into paperless operations in 2023, but we have to ensure we are prepared. By then, any Customs officer who can’t operate the computer has no place in Customs. You can on your own upgrade yourselves before we put you to the system. Learn to operate the computer.
“We will monitor all entrance and exit points live from a central location. That is full ICT deployment.
“We must just accept that change has come and we need to change our ways by training and retraining and complying with international best practices.”
Speaking on the border closure, Ali reiterated that only four land borders had been reopened to ensure Nigeria complies with the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme and the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
He said, “We can’t keep our land borders closed any longer. Seme and Mfun borders in the Southwest, Ilela and Maigatari borders in the Northwest are the ones approved for reopening.
“Again, we’ve been able to strike a deal with neighbouring countries to police our borders effectively. We have put parameters in place in this regard and it’s time to test what has been put in place.
“Let’s see if goods transited through Benin Republic are handed over to us intact as per the way it was originally.
“Now, we have border patrol that works 24-hours. The borders will be opened fully from today. Modalities have been finalised.
“We’ve developed measures to reduce infractions. It’s now time to walk the talk.
“Those borders that haven’t been opened should not be used for movement of goods and services. These four for now are the only allowed entry and exit points.
“We will reduce arms and other smuggling to the barest minimum. Border communities must be ready to work with us.”
