From Suleiman Amagbor, in Lagos
The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has disclosed an unprecedented collection of a whooping N17, 903,312,598 on June 14, making it the highest daily collection since the inception of the command.
Comptroller of the Command, Babatunde Olomu, who took over control of the command a month ago, attributed the feat to the service achievement of 80 percent automation of its processes and procedures.
He said despite the drop in cargo volume to about sixty percent, officers of the Apapa command leveraged on stakeholders’ engagement, blocking of revenue leakages and facilitation of trade, and building upon the CGCs cardinal points of collaboration, consolidation and innovation.
Olomu said the feat is a way of celebrating the one year in office of Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi adding that two Containers of used clothing and crusader Soap were intercepted.
He said “I assumed office as Area Controller of the nation’s premier port command a month ago, and I want to assure port users and our esteemed stakeholders that officers and men of the command under my watch are ready to sustain and surpass our given mandate.
“Consequently, this unprecedented revenue collection is a way of celebrating One year in office of Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR whose inspiring and motivating leadership has contributed greatly in the achievement.
“Finally, I want to use this medium to urge port users to always abide by the tenets and etiquette of lawful operations such as obeying the extant import and export guidelines, prompt and accurate payment of duty and promotion of regular engagement in the national interest”
In areas of challenges being faced at the Command, he said compliance has always been an issue, but that within the one month of his stay, he has been able to jerk up the level of compliance.
“We believe that once the level of compliance is high, it would dovetail virtually into every other thing we do.
“To be sincere with you, the cargo throughput has dropped for as close to 60percemt, these three pillars have helped us in ensuring that the revenue that is supposed to go to the Federal Government is protected.
“As regards the automation level, it is about 80percent, the Nigeria Customs Service is one of the agencies of government that’s been modernizing and ensuring that virtually all our processes are automated” he said.
