Hammed Shittu in Ilorin.
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Kwara state command said it has so far generated over N7 billion and remitted same to the federation account since the creation of the command in the last one year.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on its activities in the last one year of operations, the State Area Controller of the NCS, Mr. Hussain Bello Ahmed stated that, the achievement was due to the commitment of the men of the command to their duties.
He explained that, “Though, the 2020 revenue target for the command is put at N8.038 billion out of which the command has so far generated N5, 059 billion, from January to September, 2020 which represents 62.9 per cent.
He said that, “Out of over N5 billion revenue generated, a total sum of over N2bilion was raised between July and September this year that represent 33.77 per cent of the third quarter of the revenue generated.”
Ahmed added that, “A comparative review of the preceding year 2019 indicated that the command realised N698,791,041.50.”
The latest report represents 62.9 per cent of the annual target with a differential of N2, 016,162,907.82 from the record of the previous year.
Ahmed added, “Some of the factors which might have led to this short fall include; government fiscal policies such as high excise duty rates which leads to low patronage of excise products, ban on importation of foreign rice and vehicles through the land borders, general economic down turn occasioned by COVID-19 which also led to lockdown of the entire excise factories in the command.
“The month of April alone, command could not generate/collect any excise duties due to lockdown and it is worthy to mention here that since the creation of the Command, July last year, under the watch of Compt. HB Ahmed the Command has so far generated N7,463,224,314.65 and remitted same to federation account.”
He declared, “while I consider over N7 billion revenue generated as a laudable feat, it doesn’t call for complacency on our part. It is only a reminder to do more in our National interest to support the country’s economic well-being.”
The Comptroller stated further that, the command has seized 1,023 bags of foreign rice valued at over N18 million during the year under review.
On enforcing compliance of smuggling activities, the command recorded a total of 21 seizures comprising rice, vegetable oil and used vehicles.
He said that, apart from this, “Used vehicles with duty paid Value (DPV) of N6, 972,500.00.
“General merchandise with Duty paid Value (DPV) of N 86,400.00) and total value of all the seized items is put at N35,495,000.”
He therefore commended the other security agencies for their collaboration saying that, their efforts have assisted the command in achieving a great success during the period .
