Oluyinka Onigbinde
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Tin Can command has described the uproar regarding the introduction of the Vehicle Identification Number as teething problem that will be resolved with time.
On Tuesday, the Public Relations Officer of the Tin Can port Command of the NCS, Uche Ejesieme, while reacting to the disruption of activities as a result of freight forwarders strike against the VIN valuation, stated that some of the problems associated with the VIN valuation are teething challenges.
He however insisted that the controversial VIN valuation remains the best option in a system that that is embracing automation.
Ejesieme said, although the disruption in the value chain as a result of the ongoing strike by customs licensed agents could have ripple effect on the command’s revenue, he however said there is need for stakeholders to embrace the automation policy as the best option for the good of the country.
According to him, “the deployment of VIN valuation policy has actually triggered some euphoria in port operations leading to strike and mild protest from some of the agents and some of the stakeholders. We believe that some of these problems are teething challenges which are associated with the deployment of new policies, don’t forget that VIN valuation remains the best option in a system that loves automation because automation has become a global phenomenon and with automation you have less human contact, with automation you can achieve predictability and transparency”.
Ejesieme further said before the deployment of the VIN, series of webinars were held to sensitive stakeholders regarding the policy, he however lamented that most freight forwarders failed to participate in the webinar and as such there was no feedback from them before it was finally deployed.
“Before the deployment of VIN valuation there were series of webinars; if not more than 10 webinars that the Customs headquarters organized through the office of the ACG and ICT Modernization
“The PROs of all commands were mandated to make sure that they escalate it to the appropriate audience, unfortunately for whatever reasons we observed that in any day of those seminars you don’t have more than 10 person’s attending.
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“The organizers were compelled to repeat the webinar over and over again, but I tell you in all of this, there were more than 10 webinars that were organised on this subject.
“And in all of those webinars when the organisers ruled out some of those subject they intend to achieve particularly on this issue of VIN that is being put in place as a kind of tool for trade facilitation in line with global best practices, most of the responses that were expected then didn’t come and their responses would have served as a way of feedback to send to appropriate authority for review. But in all of these webinars nothing was said regarding the VIN until it was passed and put in place and don’t forget that this is just one of those automation policies sooner rather than later, all of our dealings and transactions will be automated” he said.
He urged clearing agents operating at the Tin Can Island port to embrace automation and be IT- savvy in other to remain in business.
“The only thing that will keep anybody in this business with the kind of globalization that we are planning for the service is for him to be IT-compliant, without which most of these things will be like esoteric language that is quite incomprehensible”, he said.
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