By Godfrey Bivbere

Global scan systems limited says its fixed scanner installed at the Seme border will go into full operation next month.

Disclosing this to members of the Senate Committee on Finance during the committee’s visit to the Seme site, Managing Director of the company, Mr Fred Udechukwu, said the company has started test-running the fixed scanner.

He explained that there is need for the company to test-run the fixed scanner over a period of time so that both the operators and those who will maintain the equipment will have good knowledge of it.

Udechukwu also told the committee members that the fixed scanner must be manned by well-trained hands, adding that the health implication of nine million volts emitted by the fixed scanner is massive and requires proper training of customs officers to operate it.

“We don’t want to risk the lives of Nigerians, if not, cancer will ravage the society,” he said.

“Technically, there is need for proper planning for the operations and maintenance of the scanner due to its high technology state so that the ultimate operators would know how to handle unanticipated faults.

He said that the company is also putting into consideration the health consequences and the cost implications of the scanner before it is handed over to the ultimate operators.

According to Smiths Heimann from France -the engineers handling the scanner – the installation has virtually been completed and test-running will be on till last week of March.

“The engineers are now doing interconnectivity test and hope to do the first x-ray shooting by the last week of March. The engineers said that the scanner would be able to go into full operations by April,” he assured.

The Senate committee members commended the progress of work at the site of the multi-million naira fixed scanner by Global Scan Systems. The Chairman of the Committee, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, said the committee hoped the company would keep to time and commence full operations of the fixed scanner.

The committee’s commendation came against the backdrop of its visits to some other scanning sites in Lagos ports and Idiroko, Ogun State as part of its oversight functions.