NRA COMMISSIONER GENERAL LEADS INITIATIVE TO STREAMLINE CUSTOMS CLEARING PROCESS

16th January, 2025

The leadership of the National Revenue Authority (NRA) including the Commissioner General, Mrs. Jeneba J. Bangura; the Deputy Commissioner General 1, Mrs. Ann Marie Harding, a cross-section of the Customs Service Department staff and other NRA Senior Management Team on Wednesday January 15th, conducted an on the spot fact finding exercise at their Water Quay/Customs Service s Department operations. The exercise which was done in collaboration with the leadership of the Association of Clearing and Forwarding Agents (ACFA) is intended to improve trade facilitation, identify and resolve bottlenecks and challenges within the customs clearing processes from both the perspectives of the NRA and the ACFA.

This initiative is a testament to NRA's unwavering commitment to enhancing trade facilitation, a key mandate of the Authority. ”By addressing existing inefficiencies, the NRA seeks to streamline processes, boost operational efficiency, and create a more seamless experience for all stakeholders involved in the clearing of goods.” The Commissioner General remarked.

During the engagement, Mrs. Bangura gathered essential information regarding the specific workflows and hurdles faced by clearing and forwarding agents. This direct interaction provided a deeper understanding of the complexities involved, laying the groundwork for targeted solutions aimed at significantly reducing turnaround times.

The NRA plans to collaborate with the Clearing & Forwarding Agency License Committee to follow up on the findings and recommendations from the exercise including actionable strategies to eliminate the identified bottlenecks, reinforcing the NRA’s commitment to fostering a more efficient and transparent Customs clearing process.