The Federal Government has contracted the World Bank to audit operation of the destination inspection scheme before handing it over to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). Destination Inspection contract, which stipulates that all goods coming into the country must be examined at the nation’s ports, elapsed last year before it was extended for another six months.
Vanguard authoritatively gathered that the Federal Government through the Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, late last year, contracted the World Bank to audit the performance of the three Service Providers, Cotecna Destination Nigeria Limited, SGS and Global Scansystems, as well as the preparedness of the NCS to take charge of the scheme.
A source close to the minister told Vanguard that the “FG brought in the World Bank to audit the system to see if there is need for transition or intervention; and to determine the kind of collaboration that is required.”
On the widely held claims that the World Bank officials were brought in by the Customs, the source said “It was the minister that brought in the World Bank; what the Customs did was to muscle in and you know those oyinbos (whites), they will just be smiling but what they are going to say is in their mind.”
It would be recalled that Ramesh Siva, who led the World Bank team after visiting many commands to assess facilities of the service, had said “Customs is ready to take over Destination Inspection Scheme.”
Facebook Comments