Customs highlight benefits of destination inspection of cargoes

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit Zone A has highlighted the benefits of destination inspection of cargoes against pre-shipment inspection of cargoes.

It will be recalled that following the seizures of arms imported into Lagos from Turkey, some stakeholders have called on Customs to switch to pre-shipment inspection of cargoes in order to nip the armful imports right at the point of shipment before such cargoes get to Nigeria.

However, defending the Customs destination inspection of cargoes, the Controller, Federal Operation Unit, Zone A, Comptroller Mohammed Uba Garba explained that Pre-Shipment Inspection of cargoes deprives the country of required jobs.

According to Garba, who played host to members of the Shipping Correspondent Association of Nigeria (SCAN) in his office in Lagos, “Destination inspection regime neither causes nor promotes arm smuggling into the country. Rather, it provides jobs for Nigerians because the cargoes that would have been examined at the point of shipment in the country of origin is now done here in Nigeria.

“Unlike pre-shipment inspection of cargoes, where all the jobs attached to cargo inspection is provided for by the country of import origin or shipment.”

He further explained that it was an extant government policy in the interest of the society and the economy, adding that it creates and keeps jobs and revenue in the country because when goods arrive the ports, customs officials and other relevant government agencies would have to inspect them.

He also noted that not only arms and dangerous drugs are being intercepted, but all smuggled goods, including those falsely declared or under-declared.

Nevertheless, he disclosed that new scanners would arrive the ports by the first quarter of next year to make cargo examination easier, faster and surer, adding that repairing the old and broken-down ones would throw up the challenges of updating and upgrading them, among other unplanned consequences.

Garba also used the opportunity to solicit mass media partnership with the NCS on awareness against the ills of smuggling.

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