Poor server: Custom must invest in modern technology says STOAN

In a bid to improve in the recurring poor server failure of the Nigeria customs service (NCS) which has caused importers and freight forwarders to pay over N200 billion in demurrages to terminal operators and shipping lines in the past two weeks.

The spokesperson of Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Dr Bolaji Akinola said, everyone is suffering from the perennial downtime of Customs server, adding that poor server connectivity, lack of scanners and overly manual processes make the Nigeria Customs Service the greatest hindrance to trade facilitation in the country and the sole barrier to the ease of doing business at the ports.

Akinola said it was unfortunate that the NCS management is not making sufficient investment in modern information technology to drive its operations, noting that it was high time Customs upgraded its servers and other platforms.

“The poor server connectivity at the various Customs commands has persisted for too long. Customs must now invest heavily in new and modern technology systems to drive its operations, rather than the present over-reliance on manual processes, as this would also help the service to also generate much more revenue,” he said.

President, Shippers Association of Lagos (SAL), Jonathan Nicol, said while the Nigeria Customs Service has one of the sophisticated IT systems in the country and the power block playing the scripts of now allowing the Single Window to be established, the Assycuda ++ success or collapse rests on the Customs.

Nicol said the trading the public are losing to the system malfunction, noting that in the early days where there was a system breach, shippers and importers were given free days exemptions in payment of storage and demurrages.

“If for instance, the breakdown is from the Customs, the Customs will write to the terminal operators and shipping lines to waive demurrages and storage charges for the period of breakdown. Rules were respected, but it is not happening now after the so-called Port Concession Agreement of 2006,” he bemoaned.

Meanwhile, APFFLON has concluded to file a lawsuit against the Nigeria Customs Service on behalf of freight forwarders to ensure that they recover the revenue they lost due to the server failure within the period.

The advocacy group in aviation and maritime, in a statement made available to The Guardian, advised those having delivery challenges occasioned by the server failure, to state how long it took them to capture their Single Goods Declaration (SGD); additional storage charge incurred; as well as other difficulties associated with it.

The group assured them that their right to litigation can be fully exercised if they would join APFFLON to seek redress, promising to recover in full, every additional cost associated with the challenge, provided the agent tenders with the documents.

The association further called on the Federal Government to immediately sack the Nigeria Customs internet service providers, Messrs. Webb Fountain, for gross incompetence, which it said, has grossly jeopardised its policy on Ease of Doing Business, as well as hindered trade facilitation.