Nigerian govt moves to phase out physical inspection at ports, mulls PPP option to install scanners

The Federal Government, on Monday, said it is considering the Public-Private Partnerships option to handle the installation and maintenance of scanning technology at the nation’s ports.

This was disclosed in a statement on Monday after the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Adegboyega Oyetola and his Transportation counterpart, Said Alkali, met with the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, in Abuja.

During the meeting, it was agreed that physical inspection of cargoes at the ports must be phased out.

Ripples Nigeria recalls that the immediate past Comptroller-General of Customs, Col Hameed Ali (retd), at the unveiling of three scanners at Apapa in 2022, said the Federal Government would be procuring more scanners before the end of 2023.

In a statement jointly signed by the spokesperson for the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Ismail Omipidan, and the Customs spokesman, Abdullahi Maiwada, it was revealed that the collaborative model aims to sustain efficiency and foster innovation in cargo inspection processes.

Read also: Edo: Shaibu’s aide narrates how gun wielding hoodlums vandalised campaign bus

They added that the use of modern technologies like scanners was important in addressing the issue of port congestion in a bid to ensure efficiency and competitiveness even as the CGC was charged to enforce the use of scanners at the ports

The ministers also endorsed immediate action to rectify and optimise all existing scanners at prominent ports such as Apapa, Tincan Island, Onne, and Port & Terminal Multipurpose Limited.

“Simultaneously, the existing mobile scanners will be strategically deployed to facilitate expeditious cargo inspections,” the statement said.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now