Despite the general economic challenges in 2017,. the Apapa Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service has successfully collected 99.01 percent of her 2017 annual revenue target.
The Command has in the year 2017 collected the sum of three hundred and fifty billion, nine hundred and seventy-eight million, four hundred and eleven thousand, eight hundred and fourteen naira and sixty-four kobo only (#350,978,411,814.64) representing a total of 99.01% of the annual target, showing an increase in revenue performance over the year 2016 by N50,997,346,214 representing 14.5 percent growth comparatively.
According to the release by the Commands image maker, ASC I Nwala, the Command was able to attain this height of maximum revenue collection due to the leadership prowess of the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Musa Jibril who insists and encourages the implementation of all strategies and blueprints devised by the Command to block all revenue leakages while enhancing trade facilitation and security, with the contribution of other units like the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU), Valuation and the Post Clearance Audit (PCA).
Nwala said that In the aspect of enforcing government fiscal policies, the Command recorded a modest achievement in the year 2017 in the area of anti-smuggling operation as a total of twenty- four (24) detentions including containers of different items such as frozen fish, medicament, pharmaceuticals amongst other goods.
“seven of the detained containers carrying pharmaceuticals, have since been handed over to NAFDAC for further investigation and eventual prosecution and 3X20FT containers of wet blue contravened the provisions of schedule 6 of Common External Tariff (CET) were among the seizures.
“Furthermore, the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Comptroller-General of Customs,Col Hammed Ali (Rtd) have approved and allocated the seized frozen fish to Internally Displace Persons (IDP) in Yobe state. The transport corp of the Nigerian Army has taken delivery of the fish from the Apapa Customs Command” it reads.
Nwala said the cordial relationship of the Command with other governmental and non-governmental agencies have become more robust with the introduction of the Presidential Order on the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria which demands that all Government Agencies come under the same platform (Central Examination Centre) to interface and perform their various duties in order to enhance operational efficiency and curtailing unnecessary delays in the cargo clearance chain.
She add that stakeholder engagement in the previous year assumed a very high dimension in that, stakeholders now meet with the Area Controller and his management team on monthly basis to address issues of common concerns, which has greatly reduced delays as stakeholders are now better informed.
Why on the part of heads of security/sister agencies, the Command introduced a bi-weekly consultative meeting with a view to boosting security within the ports environment. The forum which has consolidated an achievement in areas of collaboration/synergy with related stakeholders in making cargo clearance to be seamless in the premier port.
The command image maker also said in the released that, in the area of Export the Command did tremendously well as it recorded a total of about 244,817 metric tons with FOB value of about (N42,678,771,538.70) as against 88,115.4 metric tons of export with an FOB value of (#52,509,676.04) that were exported through the port in year 2016.
She also said that in continuation of the modernization effort of the service, the Command in 2017, hosted the training of the newly introduced Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System II (NICIS II) in ICT training room. The software which is currently being test run at the KiriKiri Lighter Terminal and Tin-can Area Commands. However, the Command has put in place all mechanism towards it’s take off.
Meanwhile In the light of these achievements and to sustain the pace, the Area controller, Comptroller Musa Jibril, has called on all officers and men of the Command to withdraw from all activities that could impede on the Ease of doing business initiative of the Federal Government. He further implored all stakeholders to imbibe the patriotic spirit of total compliance to all government fiscal policies to actualize speedy economic restoration and growth of the nation.
Assuring all Stakeholders, Importers and Exporters of guaranteed conducive business environment that will offer them opportunity of experiencing a sincere seamless clearance procedure of all their consignments as long as maximum and total compliance to all extant laws guiding cargo clearance in the Ports are observed.
