Eromosele Abiodun
The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Thursday announced that it generated a total revenue of N203.26 billion between January 1, 2019 and June 30, 2019, which represents 54.5 per cent of its annual revenue target of N372.56 billion.
Head of the Command, Comptroller Mohammed Abba-Kura, made this known in a chat with journalists in Lagos. The figure, he stated, was N26.5 billion higher than the N176.7 billion generated for the same period of 2018.
According to him, this feat was made possible by the command’s strict adherence to professionalism through sensitisation of officers as to their responsibilities, and working in line with the standard operational procedures for optimal revenue collection.
“The other aiders included periodic stakeholder engagements, open-door policy, prompt resolution of disputes by the Dispute Resolution Committee, as well as maintaining the right synergy and collaboration with sister-agencies,” he said.
Abba-Kura, further disclosed that the command recorded a high compliance level of export trade within the period, which saw it generate approximately $46.6 million (N14.3 billion) free on board (FOB) from a total of 95,229.15 metric tons of exported goods.
“The command also seized 29 containers of various items that contravened trade procedures, with a cumulative Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N418.4 million. These included tomato paste, vegetable oil, tramadol, ladies and girls’ fashion footwear, armoured glasses without End-User Certificate, as well as drilling pipes labeled in foreign language,” he disclosed.
Meanwhile, Abba-Kura has assured importers and exporters that all legitimate and compliant trade that satisfy the necessary procedures concerning the transactions will get accelerated clearance from the command.
More so, he stated that the command would continue to build capacity for both officers and stakeholders operating within the command to acquaint them with modern trends, government fiscal policies and NICIS 11 operative system, among others, to bring everyone on same page for optimal service, and for timely cargo release.
He assured stakeholders that the command would facilitate speedy legitimate, compliant and all trade that have satisfied the necessary procedures concerning any transaction.
“All such consignments will get accelerated clearance out of the customs system. Furthermore, I want to appreciate our compliant stakeholders for their collective contribution to our success and assure them of our readiness to serve them even better in the second half of the year 2019. I want to reiterate our resolve to build on the level of professionalism, dedication to service, which contributed to the success recorded in the command in the period under review, “he stated.
