Cotecna Destination Inspection Limited has attributed the delay in the full installation of fixed scanners at the Tin_Can Island Port to delay in granting of import permit for some component elements required for the effective use of the x_ray equipment by the United States of America. The delay however is as a result of the USA’s adherence to standard procedures in the granting of the permit.

This explanation was offered by the management of Cotecna who are in charge of inspection and risk profiling of imported goods, just as the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says the take over of the former Government Warehouses by the Terminal Operators had created space constraints at the Lagos seaports.

Vice President and Contract Manager of Region 1, Cotecna South Africa, Mr. Alpha Sy, who offered the explanation while conducting the Minister of Finance Dr. Olusegun Aganga, round the site at the port recently, lamented that the equipment had earlier been installed only to be ravaged by a strange fire incident which occurred at the site two months ago.

He said the company had immediately embarked on the reconstruction of the facility which is now completed but awaiting the necessary approval from the American authorities to ship the items into Nigeria. “The issue is not now the site itself which has been completed, but the fact that the equipment got burnt. The equipment is being shipped through a company from the United States of America.

“The US authorities, through the Homeland Security department, are requesting for a certain certificate before they can actually approve the export of certain components of the x_ray elements. I am sure they will soon grant the approval, So this is why we are having a little delay”, he told the Minister.

Responding to the Minister’s enquiry on the options, Mr. Sy said the company had to fall back on the mobile scanners as alternative for now, pointing out that “there is a temporary site where we have an established mobile scanner operations going on with the full cooperation of the customs officials”.

He however assured that with the expected equipment from America, the installation will be completed by September this year. “According to the agreement, we are supposed to deliver fixed scanners to Tin Can port 18 months after the commissioning of that of Apapa.

The Cotecna boss also pointed out that much as the company tried to keep to schedules, there Apapa case was again hampered by a controversy between the Ports Authority and management of AP Mollar Terminal over the land allocation for the fixed scanners.

“We had a delay in the Apapa installation because of the land issue which took long to be resolved..and so we finally decided that due to delay in starting Apapa, we are now going to take the two (Apapa and Tin Can) altogether”.

He explained that the company commenced full scanners operations in Apapa, with a view to starting that of Tin Can Island port by October, only to be visited with the fire outbreak.

Also speaking in the same vein when the Minister’s inspection team arrived at Apapa port, Managing Director of Cotecna Nigeria, Mr. Tayo Rabiu, pointed out that the Customs officers handling the fixed scanners were amongst the team that were trained since 2006, when the mobile operations commenced.

He however pointed out that the major constraint against the fixed scanner operation was that of space, adding that “ container bearing trucks cannot come in until we release those that have been scanned due to space constraint”.