Apapa Customs widens scope of capacity building on NICIS II …Says trade facilitation at its peak …Targets 24 hours cargo clearance

Apapa Customs widens scope of capacity building on NICIS II

 .Says trade facilitation at its peak

.Targets 24 hours cargo clearance

 By Udeme Clement

The Customs Area Controller, CAC, of Apapa Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Comptroller Musa Jibrin, said that trade facilitation in Apapa port is efficient and at its peak, as officers are working assiduously to ensure 24 hours cargo clearance.

Comptroller Jibrin made this known through the Public Relations Officer, PRO, of the Command, Nkiru Nwala, when Financial Business visited the Command recently to get first hand information on activities of Apapa as the premier port.

The PRO explained, “The CAC has awakened the consciousness of officers on the need to double their efforts in the job, in order to enhance optimum trade facilitation and revenue generation for the Federal Government. For instance, every Tuesday, the CAC holds meeting with officers, where he engages Heads of various Units on a brain storming exercise meant to map out new operational strategies for increased productivity”.

Responding to question on the level of efficiency with  Nigeria Customs Integrated System II, (NICIS II) platform, she analysed, “Intensive training on  NICIS II is on-going at Apapa Command across ranks of officers with different functions to perform on NICIS II platform”.

She disclosed, “In fact, to ensure efficiency in our operations for seamless cargo clearance, the CAC has extended the scope of training on NICIS II to include other stakeholders doing transactions with the Command.   Such stakeholders include terminal operators, shipping lines, clearing and forwarding agents, among others”.

 She pointed out, “Apapa Command has also provided the platform for training of officers from other Commands. For example, the just concluded training of all Asycudar Project Managers, APMs and Technical Supervisors, TS, in the Service. The training of these officers is imperative to enable them perform their functions effectiveness using NICIS II platform”.