By Godwin Oritse

THE Seme border Customs Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has confirmed the fact that scanning machines at the border post were  inefficient stressing that the situation is  beginning to affect its operations.

Disclosing this to newsmen in Lagos, the Command comptroller, Othman Abdu Saleh said that the management of Globalscan has been un economical with the truth concerning the issue of scanning operations in Seme border.

It will be recalled that management of Globalscan system Limited had defended its scanners saying that they were manufactured by one of the best detection companies  in the world.

The Command stated that sometimes for up to four days in a week, the scanner will breakdown before it is fixed again.

He explained that he does not know what to believe now whether it is the generator attached to the scanning machine or the scanner itself that is faulty because the owners of the equipment are not truthful with the situation. Besides the fact that  customs operations are  being hindered, agents are also lamenting the inefficient scanning machines at Seme border.

He disclosed that most times, the Command had to resort to 100 percent physical examination of cargoes.

“I thought the scanning machine had its own separate generator different from the one that power the entire premises.

“My officer at the scanning site came and said the scanner has been down for two days. At a point we even told importers to come to work on Saturday, but they refused to show up because they were not sure of the scanner

“There was a time we had serious problem because government said all goods coming through the border should be containerised and for this reason operations were suspended for two months By the time government said that these trucks should be reduced to international standard and for that reason there was a lot of trucks at the border because importers were trying to adjust to the new policy.

“Do not forget the fact that the scanner is a mobile scanner. There were times I had to call the Comptroller-General to give me express permission to carry out physical examination  on  these trucks and containers because the scanners were not working.

“There is no week that this mobile scanner will not collapse, I remember about two weeks ago, the scanner was down for four days and when I asked what the problem was I was told that it was the generator.

“I actually thought the scanner had its own generator and another one for the premises. As for the fixed scanner, it has been test run but it has not been put to use and when we asked them they said they are waiting for certification”, he said.