Tincan Customs: Achieving Operational Efficiency with latest ICT

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Tincan Customs: Achieving Operational Efficiency with latest ICT
By Udeme Clement
One thing that makes the Tincan Island Command of Nigeria Customs Service to stand out of other Commands in the country is the use of latest Information Communication Technology (ICT) in achieving its operational efficiency. Its unique application of ICT in revenue generation, anti-smuggling and trade facilitation has made significant impact in the Command.
Financial Business & Maritime News gathered that aside from using modern ICT in its daily activities, the Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Tincan Command, Comptroller Yusuf Bashar is training most of the officers in the Command to be effective in ICT application.
In a chat with our Correspondent, the Public Relations Officer of the Command, Uche Ejesieme explained that all their processes are fully automated to enhance increased revenue generation for government and trade facilitation in line with global best practice.
His assertion: “ In Tincan Command, the CAC is an expert in capacity building, and he is training officers regularly to widen their skills in Customs operations, especially in the use of modern ICT, in order to make them competent and be ready to compete favourably with their counterparts anywhere in the world”.
In the same vein, Financial Business & Maritime News learnt that Comptroller Bashar, has directed officers of the Command to work towards a daily revenue target of N1 billion, saying that the Command was given a revenue target of N25.8 billion monthly, translating to N306.8 billion per year.

Bashar said that this necessitated his directive for a daily target of at least N1billion, in order to achieve the monthly target. To him, the goals in the Command would only be achieved with practical commitment of all officers and men. He advised all officers to be hard working and alert at all times to their statutory responsibilities.
Comptroller Bashar urged Heads of terminals at the Command to ensure effective and thorough system checks on declarations to identify devalued goods.
He directed that beyond the weekly target, various terminals will also be placed on surveillance to ensure zero tolerance for any corrupt tendency.
Accordingly, as part of the measures designed to enhance revenue collection in the Command, the Controller has arranged several meetings with officers-in-charge of the terminals as well as valuation personnel. The meetings according to him were meant to further reiterate his stand on zero tolerance for inappropriate examination of cargo in the port.
The CAC called attention of all sectional Heads to the crucial role of the Service and the commitments of CGC Ali Hameed to national development, maintaining that officers must do their utmost to promote economic growth and development.
“We want all officers of the Command to make integrity, professionalism and due diligence their watchword. We should see ICT as an enabler because we are expected to drive the process through a renewed commitment and vigour towards raising the revenue profile of the Command. ICT plays a vital role in national development and the ICT training centre we established here will serve the training needs of the Service and the World Customs Organisation (WCO) at large” , he enthused.
“Also, stakeholders’ engagement, inter-personal skills and the concept of change management are part of the building blocks of functional and effective Customs operations. The performance of officers must be seen to have a significant effect on our revenue generation, attitudinal change and self transformation are also key.