Cargo scanning content integrity recipe for physical examination, says Nnadi  

Cargo scanning content integrity recipe for physical examination, says Nnadi

The New Area Controller of Tin Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Dera Nnadi, has declared that the greatest single threat to the success of cargo scanning is the lack of traders’ character, noting that the end result of every flagged scanning process remains indisputable reversion to physical examination. He lamented that the ratio of compliant traders is abysmally low and hence the demand for trade facilitation has been largely made difficult by the same stakeholders who regularly throw spanners on the equal demand for compliance, being also the lever of trade facilitation.

Nnadi stated this while speaking with a group of journalists, who made some startling revelations on payment of duty, which they said, was not the same as compliance, even as they hinted that part of the current efforts to shore up revenue collection at the Tin Can Command was combating the concealment of items that attract high payment of duties.

Reacting to congratulatory messages on his deployment to the Tin Can Island Port Command as Area Controller and why the  Nigeria Customs Service was paying such huge attention to Tin Can, he said: “Sometimes, I find it a bit bewildering that someone should be congratulated for being posted to carry out an assignment. Nevertheless, I understand the sentiment considering that Zone A of the NCS contributes over 70 percent of its revenue. Tin Can specifically is ranked to contribute the second highest revenue for the NCS.

“In that light, I see my deployment here as a measure of confidence in my capability by the leadership and management of the NCS. However, this doesn’t mean that I am being sent here to be congratulated. I’m delighted that I can be trusted to carry out this crucial role for Customs at this Command and for that reason, I think your congratulations is in order.
On setting a new revenue record within your first 11 days of assuming duty at Tin Can, as he did at Seme area command, by exceeding the 2023 revenue target, he explained that at Seme Border, he and his team surpassed the target by collecting 125 percent of the 2023 target.

“However, we didn’t do anything different apart from encouraging and motivating our officers. We also deepened our relationship with stakeholders by making them understand their role after the border was reopened for trade.

“They knew that they had a strategic partner in the Customs because we showed empathy for their pains as they were just coming out of several years of border closure, which led to tough economic times. So, we encouraged the people to have confidence in the systems as we continue to strive towards improvement of our services,” he stated.