A secretly planned protest targeted at the Customs Modernisation Project has reportedly hit a brick wall.
The planned protest was reportedly aimed at disrupting the project, which is focused on reforming the Nigeria Customs Service and extending the focus of the Comptroller General of Customs to end corruption in the process. It will also be a major contribution to the revenue drive of the Federal Government.
Some of the gains from the project include accurate determination of customs duties, full remittance of revenue to government and increase in business activities for clearing and forwarding agents, who are a critical stakeholder.
It was gathered that some officers expressed concerns over their job security, as sizable number of officers are not computer literate, leading to allegedly sponsoring the planned protest.
The Comptroller General of Customs during the signing of the Concession Agreement expressed optimism about the project and also said all Customs Officers will be computer literate as a result of the project, in addition to the fact that no officer bill be sacked, but rather, the Service at 15,000 personnel, is just operating at half of the total required personnel at current operation levels.
The concession agreement, signed 30th May, 2022, according to the Managing Director of the Trade Modernization Project, Dr Jummai Umar-Ajijola, is expected to generate a revenue target of $176 billion for the Federal Government.
“The major advantage of the project is the significant growth in the revenue profile of the Federal Government. The project will generate in excess of $176 billion to the Federal Government over the life of the concession.
“The project will bring Nigeria at par with the rest of the world in the deployment of technology to facilitate international trade.
“The economic diversification activities of the F
