Monrovia, Liberia – A five-day training course has been introduced by the World Customs Organization (WCO) for the Liberia Revenue Authority’s (LRA) Post-Clearance Audit (PCA) employees. The goal of the training, which focuses on Gap Analysis and Post-Clearance Audit Enhancement, is to increase customs efficiency and fortify the LRA’s ability to carry with Article 7.5 of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
The WTO TFA’s Article 7.5 requires customs administrations to carry out post-clearance audits in order to verify adherence to customs laws. The results of these audits, which must adhere to a risk-based selection procedure and uphold openness, will form the foundation for additional administrative or legal measures.
The training is also expected to equip LRA customs personnel with advanced skills and strategies to enhance compliance and modernize customs operations in line with international best practices.
In an effort to modernize its customs administration, the LRA is holding the training under the WCO Accelerate Trade Facilitation Program at a pivotal moment. PCA process review, PCA information exchange and collaboration and engagement with internal and external partners, risk management and customs clearance process, PCA data analysis, valuation, tariff, harmonized system (HS) & origin analysis, and more are among the main topics covered in the training.
In addition to thanking the WCO for its assistance, LRA Customs Commissioner Saa Saamoi emphasized the value of post-clearance audits in updating customs procedures.
“This mission highlights the importance we place on post-clearance audits as a key tool for trade facilitation, compliance, and enforcement measures. The training will equip our customs staff with new skills, enhancing their efficiency and contribution to revenue collection,” Commissioner Saamoi stated.
In order to improve overall institutional capability, he also urged participants to actively participate in the training and share their newly gained expertise with other customs officers. Russel Jim Clark, Facilitation Specialist of the WCO Accelerate Trade Facilitation Programme, underscored the critical role of post-clearance audits in trade facilitation.
“The need to enhance the skills of LRA PCA staff is vital to customs operations, particularly in importation and trade facilitation. Keep in mind that whenever we talk about PCA, it is fundamentally about trade facilitation,” Clark noted.
The training is also being facilitated by Danielle Bernard, Senior Program Advisor at the Canada Border Services Agency, and Basenza Joel Samson, WCO Technical and Operations Advisor on Post-Clearance Audit from the Uganda Revenue Authority (URA).
Additionally, William Gegeg, Manager of the LRA Customs Modernization Unit, and Daniel Jaiblai, Manager of the LRA Post-Clearance Audit Unit, delivered insightful presentations on LRA’s customs administration and post-clearance audit measures.
