Mohammed Shosanya
The Nigeria Customs Service Area 1, Command Port Harcourt Rivers state,raked in
₦57,405,834,420.68 betweenf January and July, 2023.
The Customs Area 1 Controller, Comptroller CD Wada,who disclosed this at a press conference in Port Harcourt,said the the current revenue represents 10.6 per cent increase from the corresponding period of 2022.
He noted that apart from the month of April where the maritime sector experienced a global shipping downtime, which affected the revenue of the Command’s records, every other month had surpassed its corresponding months of the year 2022.
He added that the significant milestone was achieved in the month of March where the sum of ₦11,675,918,637.99 was realized, as against ₦8,310,978,933.69 in March 2022.
He said that such: “feat could not have been achieved without painstakingly engaging with our critical stakeholders through several forms of sensitization programs and other forms of training particularly on issues of Non-conformity with statutory clearance procedures.”
He emphasized that the feedback the Command got could be attributed to some of their successes,adding that the Command also insisted that all unpaid assessment must be paid.
Speaking on intervention, in terms of additional value through interventions, the Command generated ₦988,127,504 in the period under review.
He added that:”This interventions were derived from Demand Notices (DN) issued to importers with infractions on their importation.”
He also disclosed that the Command had put more emphasis on 100 percent physical examination policy of the service, and as a result, some containers suspected to have falsely declared had been placed under detention, pending further investigation.
He warned any would be smuggler to avoid Area 1 Command, as according to him,their containers would be seized and culprits arrested and prosecuted in the court of law.
On anti-smuggling activities,he stated that within the period under review, the Command had embarked on a working tour to Bayelsa and Ahoada Out-stations to appraise the Customs activities in those areas.
He added: “The visit to Bayelsa State also afforded us the opportunities to pay courtesy visits to the heads of other government security agencies. The purpose of this visit was to seek further collaboration and synergy with them in order to foster a better working relationship and to achieve National interest in line with the extant guidelines.
“I am very optimistic that with the Command’s strategy of maximizing the collection of Customs duties, other levies, and payment of all unpaid assessments, the Command will surpass the revenue collected in 2022.
“We cannot thank the Ag. Comptroller General of Customs BA Adeniyi MFR and his management team enough for their timely support and encouragement towards the achievements of these successes.”