The Apapa Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS ) on Thursday, said it generated a whopping sum of N404, 020,447,791.42 as revenue from the Apapa port in the year 2018.
This was disclosed by the Apapa Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Bashir Abubakar during the command maiden press conference and award ceremony in Lagos.
The figure reviewed against the yearly target N426,192,827.46 represents 95% of the revenue target.
The command Area controller, Bashir Abubakar, attributed the success to the selfless stance of officers and men of the command and also with the support and backup of the CGC, Col Hameed Ali and his management team.
He said that the other strategies the command adopted which led to the success includes instance on seamless operation of the import and export business by his administration.
Abubakar also explained that he introduced the 24-hour dispute resolution team, one spot examination at all unit and agencies.
The strategies such as advanced system and monitoring, the collaboration between internal and external units of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and other government agencies.
He said that the implementation of these strategies had helped to block most revenue leakages and enhanced trade facilitation and security.
“Seventy-two containers of various general goods such as used spare parts, used tyres and other Sundry goods Valued at N9.626 billion were intercepted in 2018.
“In the year under review, the command also seized and condemned 41 of 40ft containers of controlled pharmaceutical drugs including tramadol in excess of the allowable milligrams with Duty Paid Value (DPV) N8.812bn.
“Furthermore, the command also intercepted and seized one export-bound used helicopter with registration number 5BN valued at N210.6 million. in addition, another import bound Aircraft “Cessna 182A” in CKD with serial no. 3400 valued at N486.9 million was also seized in accordance with the provision of the extant laws and guidelines.
“All these items were seized owning to various infractions such as false declaration, concealment and complete disregard to import and export guidelines,” Abubakar said.
He added that the command recorded a high level of compliance on export declaration while 2500 containers were blocked for non-compliance.
Abubakar said that it recorded 1, 26649.67 metric tons of exported good in 2018 valued $239,467,926.23, equivalent to N 73.157billion.
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“Showing that in 2018, the command collected N53,042,035,977.22 above the 2017 revenue collection, indicating an increased collection of 13.13% over 2017 collection.
He noted that the command achievement in 2018 earned the command the World Customs Organisation (WCO) award during the WCO day in January 2019.
He, however, urged stakeholders to continue to corporate with customs by adhering strictly to the extant laws and guidelines on import and export for the collective goods of the nation.
Highpoints of the event was the honour of awards to the Controller of the command and five officers of the units .
The officers awarded by the World Customs Organisation (WCO), in line with the International Customs Day Celebration, include: Assistant Controller , Bello Ale Ahmed (T/M CIU), Assistant Controller Faith M. Ojeifor (FTZ) and Assistant Superintendent of Customs 1 B.Zarama Adamu (CPU Manifest)
Others are CSC Usman Illiyasu (Staff Officer, Sifax Terminal ) and Superintendent of Customs, Peter Odangla (Staff Officer, CIU)
and then