Tin Can Customs Introduce New Trade Facilitation Tool

By Oyeniyi Iwakun

As part of efforts to facilitate legitimate trade in line with the ease of doing business concept of the federal government, the new Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Tin Can  Island port, Lagos, Comptroller Mohammed Abdullahi Baba Musa, has introduced a new concept called “Time Release Studies”, even as the command is set to commence implementation of Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System II (NICIS II), the Public Relations Officer, Mr. Uche Ejesieme has said.

Mr. Uche who spoke exclusively with MMS Plus on Tuesday, this week in his office, explained that the “Time Release Studies” is a new tool for trade facilitation that would have the capacity of helping the customs monitor single goods declaration forms with a view to identifying those areas where there are delays or gaps so that some of those gaps can be filled in the spirit and letter of the concept.

He said; “As the name connotes, it means that at the point of the lodgment of your SGD to the point of capture, to examination and all of those processes and procedures, they would be carefully monitored.

“Beyond the fact that we are very conversant with the executive order, that was recently released pertaining to the ease of doing business, we are practically demonstrating that through some of the innovations, strategies and methodologies that we have put in place, we as officers believe that we have a responsibility not only to key into that but to be sure that we are still doing that.”

According to the PRO, part of the Controller’s new innovation is to ensure that the procedure with which dispute is being resolved is narrowed to expedite actions and decision making.

He explained that on assumption of office, as a clear demonstration of his resolve to ensure practical trade facilitation, the controller has directed that the dispute resolution committee should be sitting on daily basis as the matter arises with a view to giving it expeditious attention as against the earlier routine of twice weekly, Tuesdays and Thursdays’ meetings.

“He has also been holding meetings with the terminal operators, bonded terminal operators, the warehouse operators, examination officers, the key officers that are involved in the trade value chain to be sure that they come on the same page to ensure practical facilitation of legitimate trade

“The command will be joining the league of  other commands which have deployed NICIS II, like today March 6th 2018, the implementation team led by Deputy Controller Yusuf is on ground, they are sensitizing our DCs and ACs and also the critical officers on the expectations for NICIS II which is also a trade facilitation tool.

“We are upwardly mobile to create concepts that will help us ensure that we are on top of our statutory mandate as officers.” He said.