Philip Tico Osisi (Vice President, NAGAFF)
Philip Tico Osisi (Vice President, NAGAFF)
I think government should take over because the service providers are not helping matters. The government should come up with a clear-cut policy thus if they want the service providers to stay, they should evaluate their achievements over the years and like I always say, Nigerians are in a better position to handle this project than foreigners. These people are ripping the government off, so left for me I will prefer that the Customs take over from them and let us see if they will fail because I know they will perform. The truth is that during the 100% examination by the customs, revenue generation is always soaring to the admiration of the government. The customs has the requisite capacity to do the job and as a freight forwarder and someone who has been in the industry for a long period ,we have seen the difference between the service providers and our indigenous customs therefore I support the customs to come on board.
Tony Nwabunike (Ex Chairman CRFFN)
I think there is the need for the government to extend the contract of the service providers. I must say that GlobalscanSystem has actually taken their time as Nigerians to do the right thing for Nigeria and Nigerians.
The best way out of this is for the Customs to encourage importers and agents to bring in their truck for scanning for security purpose and trade facilitation. The Federal government should look inward vis a vis the security challenges in the country and should mandate every containers and trucks to undergo scanning before exiting the airports, land borders and seaports because we are talking about trade facilitation and revenue generation for the government.
In a nutshell, the federal government and the ministry of finance should extend the contract and in fact give it to the indigenous service provider which is Globalscansystem Limited for some more years.
Lucky Amiwero (M.D. Eyis Resources)
There was a contract signed between the federal government and the ministry of finance . The finance ministry initiated this project which is called trade facilitation tools that comply same framework. The service providers are providing service for the federal government and not the customs, it is not the customs material it is the federal government material,so when you are talking about handling over, it is not the customs rather it is the federal government under the ministry of finance and the government that will be in a better position to address the issue.
Chief Fabian Okafor (Chairman KLT NAGAFF)
I must say that there is no need to hand over to the government right now, because the service providers are not doing too fine in that regard. Right now, if there are any damages on the equipment there will be loads of hiccups in the ports, terminals and the land borders so I will not advice the government to take over destination inspection from them ,I will suggest they give them a little more time due to the fact that it is a technical aspect of trade facilitation.
Festac Ukwu (Director Publicity,NCMDLCA)
I think the federal government should assist the indigenous service provider, that is the Globalscan company to attain greater height because they are the one that will impart on Nigerians directly through trainings and the technical know how as regards the job. I am so happy that a Nigerian firm can acquire such sophisticated equipment for efficiency and effective service delivery. So government should encourage the indigenous firm that is, Globalscan System Limited through extension of the contract.
Chief Osita Patrick Chukwu (Coordinator, SNFFIEC)
Nigerians as much as I know need jobs and service delivery and if the customs feel they cannot do this job then the government should employ people to man the equipment and then pay them like every agency of the government. The service providers should go because they are being paid billions and it is not what the government can continue to afford. In the general importation how much does the government generate when you compare with what they give out to the service providers? Now the question is, is the service commensurate with the amount being earned. How much do we get in the industry with regards to government earnings, so I think it is time for them to leave and government should come in by employing some of them to join customs as short service officers.
Dipo Olayoku (Stakehloder)
From so many fronts, I think it is high time we gave the job to the federal government of Nigeria thus, the Nigerian Customs Service because in the first instance the destination inspection contract was for a period and it was expected that within that period these service providers would have trained customs officers to take over and that was part of the agreement initially, so even the six month extension that the government gave in December 2012 was uncalled for, so that means even for customs to take over destination inspection is late by six months. Now government extended it by six month and it is expected that customs would have been ready to take over and by any standards the customs are willing and ready to take over.
Obicee Okonkwo (Publicity Sec. ANLCA)
I think the Customs is ready because the service providers have trained quite a number of them and I don't know why the government choose to lose their resources on this project, but maybe it has political undertone.
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