Adedapo Adesanya
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Apapa Area Command, has generated N264.53 billion in the first quarter of the year, 65.7 per cent higher than the N159 billion achieved in the corresponding period of 2021.
According to the Comptroller of the Apapa Customs command, Mr Malanta Yusuf, the amount generated in the first three months of this year was higher than the N210 billion quarterly target.
“This feat was made possible because of our officers’ creativity and leveraging of the service Information Technology platform to ensure all revenue leakages have been mitigated.
“This is as well as sustaining the level of compliance by the importers/stakeholders in the clearance value chain,” he said.
Mr Yusuf said that in the period under review, as regards anti-smuggling, the command recorded 46 seizures of various items with a duty paid value of N1,142,876,606.00, saying this was against 28 seizures made in the corresponding months of the year 2021.
“Anti-smuggling activities have been a matter of central concern in the command, particularly with the activities of recalcitrant traders who are always looking for ways to undermine our system.
“The enforcement unit has been strengthened through strict monitoring, enhanced collaboration and sharing of credible intelligence with relevant government agencies to suppress smuggling activities to its barest minimum,” he said.
He said that the seizures include unregistered medicaments such as tramadol and codeine syrup, unprocessed wood, used clothing, footwear, foreign parboiled rice and other sundry items that fall under the prohibition list.
He further said that these importations are in clear contravention of sections 46 and 47 of the Customs and Excise Management Act, CEMA CAP C45 LFN 2004.
The comptroller said that in line with the Federal Government’s efforts to diversify the economy through non-oil export, the command recorded the exportation of agricultural goods, mineral resources, steel and others.
He said that for the first quarter of the year, statistics from the export report indicated that goods worth N34.07 billion with a Free On Board (FOB) value of $87.99 million were exported.
Mr Yusuf urged stakeholders to join forces with the command and ensure that items on the import/export prohibition list are strictly adhered to.
The comptroller appealed to them to prepare themselves for the emerging realities of customs examination through a non-intrusive inspection (NII) regime.
“The non-intrusive inspection regime is targeted at increasing volume of cargo inspection, saving cost/clearing time, storing reliable data and images for reference purposes and reducing human contact in the examination of containerised cargoes leading to delay in the clearance time.
“The achievement of the command which earned it a letter of commendation by the Comptroller-General of Customs would further strengthen our drive to sustain the tempo and up the ante in discharging our responsibilities,” he said.
