18th January, 2018
The Comptroller-General of Customs, retired Col. Hameed Ali, on Wednesday launched an improved Pre- Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) to enhance service delivery.
Ali urged officers in the PAAR Unit to work deligently and give preduence to the investment put in PAAR.
“I will not condone any act of indiscipline no matter how small it is, I know the impact PAAR has on our revenue.
“There are a lot of things that are happening that we have just discovered.
“Young officers like you, what I expect from you is deligent work, nothing more.
“The future is bright; if you uphold integrity and honesty, you will go far in the Service but if you think you can cut corners at this early age, it is going to cost you dearly because I have no room for condoning any act of indiscipline.
“Get it from me, I have new group of officers that are dedicated and committed that will work for NCS and Nigeria as a whole.
“This is what I expect from you; anything less than this will cost some of you dearly.
” I don’t look at faces, I look at your honesty, committment and integrity to the job; that is all I look at because this is the time to mould you to become better ACG and DCG in the future.
“And the only way this can be achieved is to ensure that you follow the rules. Gone are the days you think you can cut corners and get away with it, no, it will not happen anymore.
He, therefore, urged the officers to take their work seriously to the best of their ability.
The Assistant Comptroller-General, Customs Modelisation ICT Unit, Terseer Aber, said that the improved and updated PAAR was to ensure that Customs was in control of trade environment.
Aber said that the Nigeria Customs had modernised its systems and working environment in such a way that officers could comfortably carry out their duties without stress.
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He said that the service had ensured that every facility needed by officers to work effectively were being provided in environment of PAAR.
Aber said that the PAAR ruling center was the core of trade, adding that it was the document used to pay customs duty.
According to him, the customs took over PAAR from the service providers on Dec. 31, 2013, adding that the system was not updated and there were a lot of noticeable gaps.
” The essence of modernaising the PAAR center was to give the best tool and test the application and see that the gaps and revenue leakages that were noticed, this new application is going to close them.
” In the PAAR office, telephone is not allowed, officers are restricted and disciplined.
“Officers here will be learning risk management, valuation, classification among others; these are the core functionality of Customs officers,” Aber said.
According to him, PAAR is for traders, It is specifically for managing imported goods.
He said that the platform was designed to manage trade before goods were physically imported into the country.