The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has explained that false declaration is the major reason clearing agents encounter delay while using the newly-introduced, Nigerian Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS) 2 for cargo clearance.
Public Relation Officer (PRO) of Apapa Command of the service; Nkeiru Nwala, who explained this in a chat with Shipping Position Daily yesterday in Lagos, also said that the new platform is for customs to reconcile what was declared with the actual content of the cargo.
She said that based on what is declared, the system will determine where the cargo will be placed.
The command’s spokesperson said that the system has been programmed in such a way that if there is false declaration during physical examination, it will reject the cargo.
She explained that, “the NICIS 2 is just for customs to reconcile what you have declared. Just like American Visa, when your seeking visa to America they will send you forms to fill before the earlier date for the interview. You will be filling the questions consistently; there are questions that look like others. If you answer those questions consistently randomly on your interview date, they will pick out of all the things you have filled to ask you a question”.
“So NICIS 2 is just for customs side to verify what you have already declared. So based on what you declared you are carrying the system will now determine where to place you either on blue or red lane. The system has been so programmed that if you go for physical examination and discover anything different from what you declared earlier, even as a custom officer, the system will reject it because it was not what you declared earlier", she explained.
She maintained that in a case of false declaration, the agents will have to start the process of the clearance afresh and that is what causes the delay in cargo clearance.
"At that time that is what it is called delay, because you will have to start another conversation with the system. Telling them that in the cause of the examination these things were discovered as against what was discovered earlier, so based on that, they are now going to raise a DN that will accommodate all those things which can no longer qualify for 24 hours or 48 hours clearance in the port. That is what people don't know about the NICIS 2".
She said that the new platform does not encourage compromise at all, adding that the platform deals with the images the scanner captures.
"The system now is not a sorting out system unlike what it is used to be with ASYCUDA; anybody doing that is on his own, the system now captures the reality. Even if you stuff things in the vehicle, it is going to capture everything. The image is what the scanner will capture; the image of a plain vehicle coming in is different from that of a vehicle that is loaded with loads. And now if you feel you want to liaise with customs, it them means you are going to liaise with many people. The system is viewed by many people, so you find out that it is better you pay the DN. So the system has also helped in revenue generation and it’s not easy for you to compromise with the system", she added.
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