The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service in collaboration with the Independent and Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) and the Anti-Corruption and Transparency Unit (ACTU) on Thursday held a sensitization program for their officers tagged, “Transparency and Accountability in Public Office”.
The essence of the training was to eliminate corruption in public service and to foster inter-agency collaboration and intelligence sharing with various government agencies.
Speaking at the event, which was attended by senior officers of the Command, the Area Controller, Apapa Command, Compt Yusuf Malanta, said it was imperative to remind the officers and stakeholders of the need to be transparent and accountable for their actions and inactions in the workplace and all spheres of life.
According to him, automating the business of customs by the Comptroller General, Col Hameed Ali (rtd.) is one of the greatest achievements of the service, adding that this has encouraged accountability and transparency.
“As part of the CGC’s reform strategy, the Service is compelled to adopt diverse methods to ensure transparency and accountability, by automating exiting processes and procedures.
“Some of the technology deployed include the use of seamless port clearing procedures which differentiates between the trader and customs zones respectively; the use of Risk Management integrated tool for selectivity, based on the integrity of the importation.
“The use of artificial intelligence to select and assign examiners for cargo inspection; and use of Non-Intrusive Inspection Technology (NIIT) to conduct examination using High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) to determine the content of a cargo and analyse images accordingly.

He continued that others are “the use of Trade Hub Portal (THP) to disseminate information concerning import/export and transit trade; and use of e-auction sales for auctioning seized and condemned goods.

“This technology is deployed to suit our trade operating environment to encourage compliance in the trade supply chain and economic growth, while increasing transparency and taking advantage of new technologies.

“As the lead agency in trade facilitation reforms, the Service is committed to constantly reinventing its strategies and adapting to present day challenges through partnering with other relevant government agencies in the port for effective ease of doing business which has yielded unmeasurable improvements in trade efficiency.

“I would like to use this opportunity once again to commend the existing and sustained synergy with our stakeholders and government operatives in Apapa Port.

“The need for synergy as a stimulant in collaboration and coordination cannot be overemphasized. Therefore, we are all enjoined to consolidate and foster this enviable relationship which is indeed a great example worthy of emulation”, he said.

Compt Malanta charged the senior officers of the command to go back to their terminals and units and transfer the knowledge they have acquired, so that other officers can be informed.

He charged them to groom and mentor lower ranked officers to be their successors in the service.

Also speaking, Resident Commissioner, ICPC, Lagos State, Mr Kabir Elelu, commended the Apapa Command of customs for standing up to be counted in the fight against corruption.

According to him, the ICPC has seen how Apapa Customs has been striving to implement the policies put in place by the federal government in order to ease transactions at the ports.

ICPC, according to him, is also working tirelessly with the Port Standing Task Team (PSTT) which was setup by the Federal Government to ease and implement the ease of doing business at the port.

Mr Elelu noted that the ICPC had initiated a policy called, “National Ethics and Integrity Policy”, which was adopted by the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in 2020.

“It is an initiative of the ICPC. The idea behind it is that, the state at which Nigeria is today in regards to the decadence and corruption is as a result of the moral decadence in the society”.

By: Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos