The Nigeria Customs Service has denied that it deliberately excluded other commercial banks from participating in the on-going online auction of seized and overtime goods.
While reacting to complaints from interested bidders that they are having difficulties in accessing the Customs purpose-made portal for the auction and that only one bank is participating, the Customs explained yesterday that it involved all the 23 Customs duty collecting banks and that their personnel were even trained preparatory to commencement.
The services Public Relations Officer; Deputy Comptroller Joseph Attah acknowledged in a statement yesterday that , “the inability of other commercial banks to hook up to the platform is creating inconveniences that could lead to wrong perception that pinges on the integrity of the process”.
He however insisted that not only were all the 23 Customs duty collecting banks carried along, properly trained in the process, “when the platform was developed, it was subjected to user-acceptability test with all the banks including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)”.
According to him, throughout the period of training and getting their buy-in, “no bank indicated any problem with the platform”.
“However, upon launch of the platform https.app.trade.gov.ng/eauction, only Jaiz Bank was discovered to be ready and active on the platform.
” In the light of the above, the service immediately wrote a letter to all the designated banks requesting them to integrate with the e-auction application for the recharging of e-wallet” same day July 3,”Attah said.
According to him, on July 5, another letter was sent to CBN, expressing the need for the apex bank to confirm the readiness of commercial banks under its supervision to perform their roles in the process to ensure the success of the project.
” We are being told that other banks are making frantic efforts to sort out whatever technical problem to hook up to the platform.
“This clarification is necessary to correct whatever wrong insinuation that could be generated as a result of having only one bank presently on the platform, ” he added.
Attah said that irrespective of the initial hitches, the service in the first 48 hours bidding period, produced 43 winners.
According to him, items uploaded were 130 vehicles, 43 submitted bids and won.
He said that 282 people registered, 268 were enabled, with 245 able to generate e-wallet access, of which 177 people recharged their e-wallets, 68 bidded and 43 emerged as winners.
“The second round of bidding starts today Monday, July 10 and will stop at 12 noon on Wednesday, July 12.
“While looking forward to seeing more banks hook to the platform and ease the process for bidders, we wish to assure the general public of the Service determination to ensure that the transparent and accountable e-auction process succeeds.”
Attah said that the service resolve was motivated by the core benefits of generating more revenue for the Federal Government and providing equal opportunities to all Nigerians.
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