By Emma Ujah, Abuja
THERE is a fresh move to jettison the multi-billion Naira Automated Systems for Customs Data, ASYCUDA, which is a computerized clearing process for effective service delivery at the nation’s ports.

It is being championed by a committee under the auspices of the Federal Ministry of Transport charged with the responsibility of advising the federal government on a proposed One-Stop-Trade Facilitation system.

There have been several attempts in the past with others by past federal government officials with a view to giving out the plum contract to their cronies.

The committee in a report submitted to the Minister of Transport, a copy of which was obtained in Abuja, said the ASYCUDA was ineffective and therefore recommended that it be replaced with an entirely new Modified Automated Single Window System.

Sources said, however, that it would amount to an unnecessary waste of public funds as the ASYCUDA has already been upgraded to ASYCUDA ++ with plans by the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Nigeria Customs Service immigrate from 3.0 to ASYCUDA World with the capacity to integrate all stakeholders involved in the ports clearing processes. Sources said the committee was deliberately making efforts to mislead the presidency by misinforming it on the capacity of the current system.

It was argued, for instance, that the observation of the committee that the Customs Service still undertakes 100 per cent physical examination of cargoes at the nation’s ports was misleading.

In its summary of observations/findings, the report said “the Customs Service still practise 100 % physical examination of cargo”.

It therefore recommends “percentage of physical examination of cargoes should be reduced to 10 % in line with international best practices. “Identification and classification of major importers for the purpose of fast-track clearance and the examination of cargoes at owners’ premises as practiced in the past should be restored to further reduce delays.

On ASYCUDA ++, it said “ASYCUDA ++ was not fully implemented and interfaced with stakeholders. It, therefore, recommended “ASYCUDA system does not have the capacity to integrate all the stakeholders in the trade chain.

“Consequently, an integrated system that has the capacity to capture all the stakeholders in the trade chain should be installed.”

Independent investigations showed that the ASYCUDA ++ in collaboration with the Comprehensive Inspection Supervision Scheme provides an adequate platform to interface with all stakeholders.

For example, the Central Bank of Nigeria, NAFDAC, Standards Organisation of Nigeria, Federal Ministry of Finance, shipping companies, airlines, terminal operators, licensed agents/importers, commercial banks all interfaced with the NCS on the platform.

With the platform, the NCS has achieved end-t-end e-submission of all trade documents, e-assessment, e-payment, e-remittance, e-reconciliation and e-release.

It was learnt that the single stop shop being proposed is already in place in Nigeria. All that is necessary is the cooperation of stakeholders to interface with the customs service on the system at no cost because the federal government has already paid for ASYCUDA ++.

Findings indicate that many importers, especially traders, deliberately make false declaration on their cargoes with the intention of undercutting the system by paying less duties but end up being exposed by the scanning system and then had to be subjected to physical examination by the NCS, thereby delaying the release of their goods.