URA unveils new state of the art scanners at Elegu border

The Uganda Revenue Authority (URA), on Friday unveiled the new state-of-the-art cargo scanner at Elegu border point in Amuru District.

The NUCTECH Fast Scan (FS6000DC) model, which is capable of providing both horizontal and vertical image scanning of cargo while in motion, was unveiled by senior URA officials alongside a set of several security equipment.

While officiating the launch, Mr Julius Nkwasire Mponoka, the Assistant Commissioner Customs Enforcement at URA said that the equipment will boost revenue collection at the Elegu border due to its capabilities.

“Besides boosting revenue, the machine will also address the security and safety control concerns at the Uganda-South Sudan border at Elegu because of its radioactive portal mirror properties embedded within it,” he said.

According to him, the machine (scanner) is characterized by high penetration and high detection sensitivity with an excellent image quality due to its large scanning tunnel.

“Currently, URA clears up to 250 incoming trucks and 350 outgoing trucks daily, and the introduction of this machine means the clearance of cargo will be faster,” Mr Nkwasire added.

At Elegu border, URA had a machine that would scan only 20 trucks per hour, thus impairing their performance.

But Ms Victoria Nabitaka, Assistant Commissioner for Compliance and Business Analysis at URA says the new machine can clear 200 trucks per hour.

“We have in the past been doing only risk management and would not scan every truck coming in or getting out but now with this kind of technology, we can scan every truck,” she said.

“The new scanner also has the radioactive and nuclear ability which can test everything that is radioactive and has nuclear capabilities, and as a result, we shall be able to protect our society,” Ms Nabitaka added.

During the last financial year 2020/2021, the URA station at Elegu Border collected Shs5.1bn against the target Shs3.1bn, a performance of more than 160 per cent.

Ms Nabitaka said that the station is expected to collect more than Shs7bn this financial year because of this new equipment.

The Daily Monitor established that the (equipment) scanner is one of the 12 additional pieces of scanning equipment that URA has acquired in recent weeks.

Machines acquired in the second phase include three FS600 motion scanners to be installed at Eelgu, Mpondwe, and Katuna borders, two CS0200T drive-through passenger scanners to be deployed at Busia, and Malaba and three MT1213DE mobile scanners.

Others include two MT0200BX backscatters and two XT2100L x-ray baggage inspection systems.

Besides the machine, a CT baggage scanner and another relocatable mobile truck cargo scanner equipment were also delivered on Friday.

The first batch was received by Commissioner General John Rujoki Musinguzi on September 27, 2021 at the Nakawa Headquarters.

Ms Nabitaka said that the government used a total of Shs103 billion to procure all the equipment in the two batches.

“URA adopted a leveraging of technology as a focus area to achieve a Shs 24.6 trillion revenue target. These will help in quick management of large volumes of scrap that transits through the station and detection of concealments.” She added.

Meanwhile, Mr Geoffrey Osborn Ocheng, Amuru RDC applauded the development noting that it will help in fighting the current wave of terrorism.

“The equipment come at a very strategic time when we are fighting terrorism and this is one of the counter-terrorism measures that government is undertaking. With the coming of this machine, we are going to do more and ensure that the country is safe,” he said.

“In the last one year, Mr Ocheng said we were in a position to recover 3 guns from the people who cross from South Sudan into Uganda and this will further help us to step up vigilance along the border,” Mr Ocheng added.

Currently, URA has 40 non-intrusive inspection equipment countrywide. While 13 are now operational, 27 are still being installed at different strategic points of entry.

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