How freight forwarders misapplied VIN valuation application – Comptroller Oloyede 

The Nigeria Customs Service has explained how freight Forwarders took advantage of the lapses in the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) valuation process to misuse the application causing hitches that led to the problem in the system.

Customs Area Controller in charge of Tincan Island Port, Comptroller Kunle Oloyede who was the controller in charge of Valuation, Customs headquarters when the solution was deigned, blamed freight agents for misuse of the platform.

He gave the explanation at a function in Lagos, recently.

Comptroller Oloyede who said most of the agents were not internet savvy, added that their ignorance led to input of wrong codes that triggered problem with VIN valuation

He also said in the course of inputting the data, they either added comma (,) or a slash (/) which triggers something different from what should have come up.

Explaining further, Oloyede said that there were two types of VIN namely, Standard VIN and non-standard VIN saying the when the service checked the system and discovered that about 7000 vehicles were directed to the standard, it decided to block the end which led to the problem experienced by the agents.

He quipped that they directed most of the vehicles to the standard for a reduced value.

“I came to Tincan in the eyes of the storm, people thought it was a case against me because I was part of the VIN solution because I was part of the process indices

“I saw the misuse of the system. The system was about knowing the status of all vehicles coming in but sometimes some of the vehicles are stolen but the review will give you the history of all vehicles coming into the nation

“So, while we were developing this solution, we found out that we have two types of VIN, we have the standard one which is 70 and the other one can be less, it can be more

His words, “In order to capture all this, we developed a procedure regime that will take care of the design of any vehicle

“Low and behold, agents saw the lapses and started putting a digit or a slash or putting a dot and once you do that, it goes to the next standard.

“As a risk manager, after you develop a solution, you will look at the functionality after 3 to 4 months. We were expecting to have a feedback from the trading public but because they saw the lapses, they took advantage

“When I looked, I saw 7000 vehicles going to standard and none going to non-standard because they know that when they out it in standard, it will reduce the value

“And when we blocked that end, it went to non-standard and I had to engage them and I am very happy for the support of the police

“I found out that these people are not ICT savvy, we had webinars we were doing and UAT Acceptance desk we were doing before we lost, I was part of it. You will just see in the webinar only six of us. My ACG, myself, the person that will do the webinar, they actually did not know what we were pushing out

“They gave it out to ICT boys and those ones will say this one will work out here and they will start it and that was what caused it

“Thank God we were able to deal with it and the CGC said we should drop that parameter that was in question and that we should clear the backlog because there was already tension in the port

“We are going to give room for 19 percent depreciation,” he submitted.