Dar es Salaam port
TRA Director General, Mr Harry Kitilya said this in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday during the interim progress presentation ceremony by experts from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) for the modernization of customs administration across the country.
He said the system is expected to create “ease of use” for both internal and external users, superior cargo and inventory controls for exit and transfer under customs to bonded warehouses and Internal Container Depots (ICD).
The project that will cost 13.2 million US dollars (about 21.1bn/-) is expected to enhance transit management and monitoring tools, including transporters. “The initiatives which are undertaken between TRA and KOICA on cargo and risk management system are in line with customs modernization strategy of 2009/10-2012/13 that aim to create an environment conducive to investment, business and trade facilitation”, he said.
He mentioned other benefits as the availability of integrated risk management and valuation functionalities, e-banking capabilities along with user-friendly reporting and workflow tools for both Customs and Excise Department managers and external stakeholders.
Speaking at the same occasion, South Korean Ambassador to Tanzania, Mr Young-Hoon Kim said: “We are very eager to support Tanzania’s customs infrastructure to enhance transparency and efficiency in cargo handling,” Deputy Commissioner, Customs Modernisation and Risk Management, Mr Bellium Silaa said the system will also enable the Customs Department to strategically focus its attention on areas of potential loss of revenue and take preventive measures.
“While much more work remains to be done, TRA believes that with the assistance and support of all stakeholders, the outcome of this project in improving custom clearance time will ultimately stimulate long term economic growth and become a reality for Tanzania,” he said.
He added that the automation will improve efficiency in customs administration and facilitate secured cross border trade by reducing the time and cost of cargo clearance.Some of the reforms carried out by the TRA include the implementation of the East African Community (EAC) Customs Management Act 2004 and the ongoing reforms geared to fully embrace the World Customs Organisation (WCO) framework of standards.
Also TRA implemented the Destination Inspection Scheme (DIS) that facilitated the use of advance information for valuation, classification and subsequently risk profiling and the use of x-ray scanner. Others areas of reforms were the automation of customs processes through ASYCUDA++ with Direct Trader Input (DTI), implementation of Central Data Processing, the e-licensing, the Compliant Traders Scheme.
By SEBASTIAN MRINDOKO, Tanzania Daily News
