Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Inde Dikko Abdullahi
By John Iwori
Apparently buoyed by the fact that it did not only meet its target last year but also surpassed it, the Customs High Command has set a revenue target of N1, 000,000,000,000 this year.
The management of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) which has been one of the highest revenue generating government agencies in the country said its decision followed the outcome of what it called the “first revenue strategy meeting” for the new year.
It said the meeting was attended by the top echelon of the service, including its Customs Area Controller (CAC) at Customs Headquarters, Abuja.
A statement made available to THISDAY at the weekend quoted the Comptroller General of Customs, Alhaji Inde Dikko Abdullahi saying that it would achieve its revenue target for 2012, just as it did last year through a “strict implementation of current fiscal policy” anchored on increasing use of information communication technology (ICT) tools.
Continuing, the statement which was signed by Public Relations Officer, Customs Headquarters, Abuja, Mr Adewale Adeniyi said: “We benefited tremendously from the use of system audit last year. We are going to consolidate on the gains by tapping into the opportunities which the ASYCUDA system provides us”.
The Customs boss also disclosed that in addition to the system audit strategy, the use of the Risk Assessment Reports (RARs) will be closely monitored to prevent the rampant abuse of the system.
He directed that all unutilized RARs carried over from 2011 and previous years should be compiled and investigated.
He warned the Comptrollers that merit and performance shall be the major criteria for deployment, noting that no excuse will be entertained for non-performance.
“Last year there was 25 percent increase in the volume of cargo imported into the country. If the tempo is sustained, our target is realizable”, he added.
According to the target breakdown, Nigeria’s premier port, Apapa leads the pack, with N270 billion projected revenue. Revenue target for other Command include Tin-can Island Port, N220 billion; Onne Port, N100 billion; PTML (Tin Can Island Port II), N70.5 billion and Lilypond, N50 billion.
Others are Kirikiri Lighter Terminal, N50 billion; Edo/Delta,N40.5 billion; Port Harcourt I, N40 billion, Port Harcourt 1, N100 billion, and Seme Border, N750 million.
THISDAY recalls that NCS generated a total of N741, 836, 653, 478, representing a surplus of N148 billion over the service target of N596 billion in 2011.
Reacting to the revenue target, the founder of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), Dr Boniface Aniebonam, said he is of the strong view that the target can be realized by the Customs.
Aniebonam who said that government can tap the potentials of the maritime industry to the fullest was of the view that with “hard work, determination, genuine declaration of imports, blocking of any existing revenue leakage among other things”, the Government can boost its revenue base to carry out its developmental programme.
He said with “genuine efforts at fighting corruption, enlightenment of importers, exporters and freight agents and others concerned with Customs related matters, cooperation of critical stakeholders and enforcement of import regulations” the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) will have no difficulty in hitting its revenue target of One Trillion Naira for the year 2012.
He advised the NCS to design other means of dealing with minor trade offences, as this could be another means of generating revenue instead of outright seizure of such goods.
He also called for greater discipline in the service for successful operations at the various border posts in the country.