By Tione Andsen

Blantyre, June 30, Mana: Malawi Revenue Authority (MRA) has said the renovation of Blantyre In-land Examination Centre would help to improve the capacity and efficiency in handling imports.

Deputy Commissioner for Customs, Moses Masina said this Friday in Blantyre during Media Tour on projects being implemented by Southern Africa Trade and Connectivity Project (SATCP) under Ministry of Transport and Public Works with funding from World Bank as part of the Nacala Corridor development.

He said the modernization of the Centre would help to reduce number of days in clearing goods unlike what was happening the border posts where there were a lot of congestion.

Masina added that trucks would make minor formalities at the border posts but the actual examinations would be done at the Centre using modern equipment.

He said this was part of MRA reforms that recommended that all containers should directed to come to the Centre for examination by using modern technologies unlike the physical check which were being conducted.

“We are clearing goods coming from Mwanza, Muloza, Mchinji, Nsanje or Songwe border posts. With the SATCP funding will be installing a high tech scanner which will help as to determine the kind of goods which can be off loaded or not without even opening it,” the Deputy Commissioner General explained.

He said the Centre would have face light and a parking base would be constructed to enable the importers place their containers for inspection and examination.

“We need to have proper offices in order to enjoy good working environment. We will be installing CCTV cameras, air cons as part of the supporting the centre will be getting from SATCP,” Masina narrated.

A Blantyre based Truck owner, Jeremiah Amoni said the new arrangements of clearing the goods at the Centre has help to reduce number days spent at the border.

“We were spending a lot of time in clearing our goods at the border. They were doing physical checking of our goods which was time consuming most of the time. This initiative would help us significantly and border hassles will be a thing of the past,” he said.