By Adedapo Adesanya
The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has disclosed that it recorded a 16 percent increase in its first quarter revenue compared to the corresponding period of 2019.
Between January and March, a total of N110 billion in revenue was generated by the agency compared to N94.6 billion realised in Q1 2019.
The NCS Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mrs Nkeiruka Nwala, said in a statement that despite the challenges brought about by the slowdown in port activities, it was able to surpass what was generated in the last two years.
“At the height of these challenges. Apapa Area Command was able to beat its records of the past two years, that is, 2018 and 2019 respectively by a huge margin,” she said.
The breakdown of the N110 billion revenue figure revealed that the Command made a total of N35.9 billion in January, N35.8 billion in February and N38.5 billion in March, 2020.
Speaking on anti-smuggling activities, the command said it recorded an appreciable increase in its anti-smuggling drive leading to the seizure of 80 containers and four vehicles.
All the seized items contravened some of the provisions of extant laws as contained in the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) CAP C45 LFN, 2004 as amended.
The number of first quarter seizures in the Command almost equal the entire seizures of 2019 in terms of Duty Paid Value (DPV) which stood at N12.5 billion.
Items seized in the first quarter includes; contrabands such as rice, used clothes and apparels, other unregistered food items and vegetable oil.
It was also disclosed that one exotic Rolls Royce car that was valued at over N100 million was seized at the port. The Combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of these items stood at about N12 billion.
The spokesperson said, “Accordingly, the Apapa Area Command wishes to use this medium to remind our esteemed stakeholders that in line with the Presidential directives, the Apapa Port remains open and our others are on ground discharging their functions of collecting revenue and seeming the nation sea ports against influx of prohibited goods.”
Quoting the Customs Area Comptroller, Apapa, Mr Mohammed Abba-Kura, she said importers have been urged to use this opportunity to evacuate their consignments before normal activities resume in the seaport.
“We once more reiterate the resolved the Service and the Apapa Area Command in particular to serving our esteemed stakeholders by way of discharging our duties with utmost diligence while calling on other stakeholders in the clearance chain to play their respective roles to move this nation forward especially at this trying times. He prays that the world overcomes the problem of COVID-19 soonest,” she said.
In 2019, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Command, generated N413.7 billion in revenue.
Dipo Olowookere