A new scanner is being installed at the autonomous port of Lomé. It will improve the quality of goods controls and will allow Togolese customs to process more than 600 containers per hour, indicate the first officials of the Togolese Revenue Office (OTR).

“As part of non-intrusive checks, we have obtained a latest-generation scanner at Lomé Container Terminal (LCT). This scanner offers the possibility of scanning 600 containers per hour. Currently, it must be said that the health crisis we are experiencing has had a slight impact on the implementation of this very powerful tool...", suggested the Head of Customs Operations Division Lomé-Port, Piguendelewe AKAYA during a webinar organized by OTR.

This machine, once installed, he continued, will allow OTR agents to verify the compliance of content with the declarations submitted by economic operators and to ensure that the shipments do not conceal prohibited products ( drugs or weapons).

Still in terms of security, the OTR plans to introduce in its reforms, a system of interconnection of all actors in the control chain.

“The PND challenges all the actors of the port platform especially when we want to talk about axis 1 of this plan. So we are working so that all players are actively involved and the system can be interconnected. Today, we have the ambition to involve more the phytosanitary service, the veterinarians, the mixed container control unit, the direction of pharmacies, the ministries, of Defence, of Trade, of Mines, of Transport, Environment and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, so that we can carry out joint actions to make the port more competitive”, specified the Head of Lomé-Port Customs Operations Division.