DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A COMPUTER BASED WAREHOUSING INFORMATION SYSTEM (A CASE STUDY OF NIGERIA PORTS AUTHORITY) (NPA) LAGOS

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1     BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Warehouse is where goods and commodities are kept for further clearance.  Narrowing it to Nigeria Ports Authority, there are many warehouse where imported consignment and goods are stored.  This is cleared by carrying the billing papers from post to post, waiting and wasting much time in seeing who is in charge.  Goods that takes about two weeks to berth into the country takes another two weeks to get cleared.  This makes the importers and the clearing agents to run from port to port, in search of where the goods were kept.

The introduction of computer in warehousing will enable importers know which and where their goods are kept, as it will always be stipulates on the bill of laden papers.  Computer is hereby seen as a way of handling, by systematically organizing them, recording or making notations on them, following up with the appropriate action or the like.

1.2     STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The processing of billing papers for clearance of goods, with manual method has led to omission of many records that ought to be included.  This is caused by inaccuracy of the manual billing process.

Due to the inefficiency in manual billing process, billing papers are carried from post to post, waiting for who is in charge, thereby delaying the goods that suppose to be delivered.

More so, goods are not delivered on time, due to the fact, that goods that takes about two weeks to get into the country, still takes another two weeks to be cleared.

1.3     PURPOSE OF STUDY

The purpose of this is study is to

1. Identify those problems caused by using manual billing clearance
2. Finding out the effect of this in Nigeria Ports Authority
3. Create computer awareness
4. Identify prospects for solution of problems.

1.4. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This research, base on the problem and prospect of using computer in Nigeria Ports Authority, will help to develop interest towards computer.

The findings of this research, will also help the management to increase the income generation of Nigeria Ports Authority and smooth running of the warehouse in general.

1.5     SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The researcher will identify all the problems, including the financial constraints of the problems, encounter with the use of manual billing clearance in warehousing.

1.6     LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

Due to the financial constraints of the researcher and lack of time, the researcher is concentrating the study in only Nigeria Ports Authority Lagos.