The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has revealed its plan to reopen its e-auction platform that was suspended a couple of years ago.
Addressing a press conference in Abuja recently, the Comptroller General, Adewale Adeniyi, explained how it has been fortified, noting, “This is what we have done and this is what we are going to formally kickstart next week.”
He recalled that the platform which was introduced about five years ago was suspended due to a deluge of complaints from the general public.
According to him, the users complained about lack of inclusion, which prevented them from participating in the exercise.
Adeniyi also noted that hacker compromised the platform.
He said: “The e-auction platform: we used the word when it is going to be launched.
“Now there are a number of concerns regarding the operation of that platform when it was launched about four or five years ago.
“There are issues about inclusion of people. There are complained that they were not allowed to be part of it.
“There were issues about hacking of the system and we need to strengthen this system so that the incidents that were complained will be limited.”
He, however noted that the platform has now been strengthen to accommodate more users.
He added that it has also been fortified to stand the pressure of rush from eager participants.
He said the guidelines for participation of this have been widely circulated and NCS has placed some adverts in the papers and on the website.
He urged the public to beware of criminals who might attempt to highjack the process.
The Customs boss added that “We urge them to be very careful when they are dealing with information related to this auction.
“They should rely on information provided only from our authentic platforms: Customs website, social media handles, which the PRO has announced in those adverts.”
Although Nigerians are upbeat that the country will soon become an exporter of petroleum products and collect its duty, the NCS said the Federal Government is yet to issue any fiscal policy on Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
Asked to disclosed how the service will collect export duty on the petroleum products the refinery may export to other countries, Adeniyi said he is not aware of any fiscal policy on the refinery or any other refinery product export.
He however, said the NCS is ready to implement any fiscal policy the government may introduce on the export of refined petroleum products.
He said, “I am not aware of exports which are being charged. This will be a fiscal policy.
“If we are so directed to collect exports for these products on petroleum products from Dangote Refinery or any other refinery, of course, we will.
“But presently, under the extant policy, there is none”
The Customs boss revealed that although some borders of the Benin Republic have been official opened, some remained shutdown.
According to him, “So, currently, the places that are opened are Seme, Idiroko officially.”
Adeniyi said there is an ongoing deliberation between Nigeria’s National Security Adviser and that of Benin Republic on the reopening of the other borders.
The Comptroller General said, “There are still discussions ongoing within the country, office of the National Security Adviser and with our counterpart in Republic of Benin to ensure that we put in place the requirements, have the shared understanding of what we need to do and how we have to monitor in case the decision is taken to open the rest of the border.”
The Customs boss wondered why people see the border as a spot whereas it occupies nearly 1,000km.
He said, “When we talk about Benin Republic border, we talking as if it is a point on the map, whereas there are sever points on the map. This border between Nigeria and Benin stretches for almost 1,000 km if you take it all the way Seme across to Ilela.
“There are points along the entire stretch that are opened officially. There are a number of points that are not. So, it is a dynamic thing.”
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
