Customs set for Destination Inspection programme, Okonjo-Iweala

The Minister of Finance, Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said the Nigeria Customs Service  (NCS) was prepared to take-over the Destination Inspection programme in December.

Okonjo-Iweala made this known to newsmen in Abuja on Monday shortly after a closed door meeting with the NCS Board on ways to improve the revenue profile of the service. Destination inspection is designed for the inspection of targeted imported goods on arrival in the country. This is based on the declaration of goods and commercial documents. Four companies were engaged in 2006 to provide such service for a seven-year period.

“The transition process is going relatively okay. I do not think there is any organisation that will go through a transition period without some pains. I think customs is handling itself fairly well, and I count on the Comptroller-General to ensure a smooth transition. It’s only a couple of two, three months remaining and customs is in charge’’, she said.