Eromosele Abiodun
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Area II Command Onne Port has announced that it collected a total of N58,059,198,130:33 for the first quarter of 2022.
The collected figure is N19,181,883,844:21 higher than N38,877,314,286:12 collected within the first three months of 2021, which shows a 49.3 percent increase.
On anti smuggling, the command made a total of 9 seizures worth a duty paid value of N59,490,705
Breakdown of the items seized shows 18,555 pairs of footwear worth N26,507,042; 270 pieces of machinery and parts worth N2,211,753; 3,825 pieces of used tyres worth N26,215,230 and 8 bags of rice worth N171,961.
Other seizures listed includes 555 cartons of soap and foreign detergent worth N2,709,254; 3 bales of textile fabrics worth N250,377 and 72 cartons of tomato paste worth N1,425,103.
On export, the command processed 320,245.34 metric tonnes of cargo with a free onboard value of N109,486,146,056.48.
List of exported items include sesame seed, ginger, hibiscus, flourite ore, lead ore, palm kernel shell, cotton, float glass, aluminium, ingot and urea.
More exported items were foodstuff, columbite ore, cashew nuts, tin ore, printed sack and others
Customs Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Auwal Mohammed who described the feat as work in progress, expressed optimism that the command total collection for the year will surpass last year’s.
He urged stakeholders and port users in Onne to continually improve on their level of compliance, which is lawful, saves time and enhances overall port productivity.
He commended the support and encouragement received from other government agencies, which he described as highly invaluable.
While urging everyone to always be law abiding, Comptroller Auwal Mohammed reminded them of various resolutions and take home points from stakeholders meetings.
