Dodoma — THE Ministry of Finance has directed the Commissioner General of Tanzania Revenue Authority (TRA) to work on all challenges facing the new custom clearance system introduced at the Dar es Salaam Port, the Parliament was told.

This was said by the Deputy Minister for Finance, Mr Adam Malima, when responding to a supplementary question by Murtaza Mangungu, Kilwa North Legislator (CCM).

The Member of Parliament said there have been various concerns from business people regarding the efficiency of the new system which is known as Tanzania Custom Integrated System (TANCIS).

He noted that some business people had raised concern that when they approach the authority in following up their business engagements, TRA officials say that the system is down or not working properly hence led to unnecessary costs and is cumbersome to businessmen, why don’t you work on it, he said.

Responding, Deputy Minister Malima, said: The Commissioner General of TRA in collaboration with port authorities will work on the challenges to improve efficiency. He said the Tanzania Custom Integrated System has replaced the old system dubbed ASYCUDA++.

“The major advantage of TANCIS is the ability to speed up clearance of goods. It also facilitates tracking movements of the goods from the point of shipment to landing. By doing this, operational costs incurred by agents will also be reduced.

He mentioned some of the benefits of the new system as improvement of controls through inbuilt automated checks, efficient use of both financial and human resources, reduction of costs for doing business and monitoring movements of cargo.

The new system introduced in March this year will also improve quality of services and creation on inventory in customs warehouse for overstayed goods, hence ensure continued effective monitoring of cargo.

According to stakeholders in clearing and forwarding, the new custom clearance system will provide specific codes for goods hence simplifying the process of releasing goods from bonded warehouses.

“The system is very good as the transfer of goods under bond to warehouses will be managed by a bonded transportation document (BT), he noted.

Source: All Africa

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