Customs Area 1 Command @Ph: Sensitizes stakeholders on clearance procedures - ITREALMS

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The Nigeria Customs Service Area 1 Command Port Harcourt has commenced stakeholders sensitization on issues of non conformities with statutory procedures and other vices in clearance processes, reports ITREALMS.

The sensitisation which commenced last week in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital comes in phases to avail the Maritime operators especially the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents, (ANLCA), (NAGAFF) Bonded Terminals operations, shipping agents among others the opportunity to learn the Customs procedure codes which would in turn ensure seamless clearance of containers at the ports.

NITDA, EFCC partner on enforcement of IT project clearance

ITRealms:

 

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to partner on enforcement of the Information Technology (IT) project clearance law, reports ITRealms.

This was the outcome of a working visit by the acting chairman, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu to NITDA corporate headquarters in Abuja, reaffirming inter-agency commitment in the fight against corruption.

Speaking during the visit, the Director General of NITDA, Dr Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, said that the visit is key to the growth and development of the country, channeled towards the fight against corruption to save funds for the country.

“Anything you do in the aspect of anti-corruption will surely lead to retaliation by perpetrators, as long as legal is made illegal and legitimate is made illegitimate, it is corruption, more effort is needed to fight such crimes” he said.

According to a slogan by the President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari which says “If you fight corruption, corruption will fight you back” which EFCC is working all round to curb the menace of such act.

Pantami stated that the effort of EFCC in the fight against corruption is for the country at large, any nation that fights corruption is doing it for the develop and better the living standards of citizens living within.

NITDA is the IT regulatory body and also a clearing house for all IT projects and infrastructural development in the country. The Agency solicits EFCC's support to enforce the IT clearance law which the Federal Government mandated NITDA to handle the clearance of all IT procurement by Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDA).

Some MDAs repeatedly engage in IT projects, which there is no provision for its sustainability afterward. Information Technology (IT) is one of the areas which has been used to siphon government funds simply because of its complexity, he said.

Many MDAs come to NITDA to seek IT clearance for their projects and services, which the Agency has professionals and experts that will analyse the project critically to know its authenticity before embarking on such project so as to save funds for the government, he added.

The Acting Chairman of EFCC in his remarks stated that the two government organizations have a lot in common, and more need to be learned from each other.

EFCC need the support of every Nigerian in the fight against corruption for the betterment of our future generation because the Commission cannot do it alone. “Corruption is the biggest problem in the country” things need to be done the right way, which will curb the menace it has brought upon our country, he said.

Magu appreciates the effort of NITDA in the fight against corruption, and has the support of his office in delivering its goals and objectives for the growth and development of the country.

Chuks Egbune/GEE

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NITDA warns MDAs over IT projects without clearance

ITRealms:

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has warned Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) as well as other government establishments on the need to seek clearance from the agency before embarking on any Information Technology (IT) project, reports ITRealms.

Director General and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), NITDA, Dr. Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, who gave this warning in Abuja, cited Section 6 of the NITDA Act 2007, as well as Service-wide Circular from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation which makes the agency a clearing house for all IT procurement in the public sector.

He pointed out that the objectives of the clearance exercise include to ensure transparency in IT procurement by MDAs and other government establishments; alignment of IT projects/investments with MDAs and other government establishments’ mandates and functions as well as government IT shared vision and policy; and integration of IT systems and services to save costs, promote shared services, interoperability and improve efficiency.

In addition, he said, the objectives comprised that there is indigenous capacity for after-sales-service to sustain the project beyond the initial deployment; that the project promotes indigenous content and that preference is given to indigenous companies where capacity or the product or service exists; that the technology being implemented is up-to-date; and that the technology and services being procured are suitable for the country from the point of view of security and the environment, among others.

He emphasized that this will see to the realization of IT as a major driver and enabler of policies and national development plans; learning, knowledge and experience sharing on IT projects among MDAs; and the availability of accurate statistics on Federal Government’s IT assets and Investments to help government make informed IT decisions.

“The realization that government’s investments in IT over the years were not commensurate with the value derived from such investments and had also failed to evolve a digitally-enabled public service that will advance the citizens’ yearnings of digital economy made it necessary for strategic re-positioning of IT procurement in the public sector,” Pantami said.

Chuks Egbune with Doris Minimah/GEE

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