Uche Usim and Steve Agbota
Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it generated N1.341 trillion revenue into government coffers in 2019.
The amount generated is above the target of N937. 286 billion set for the year 2019 and N139,241 billion over the sum of N1.202 trillion generated in 2018.
Commenting on this feat, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd), described the revenue generated as a result of resolute pursuit of what is right rather than being populist by compromising national interest on the altar of individual or group interests.
According to him, the service revenue generation profile has continued to be on the rise annually as the ongoing reforms in the Service insist on; strategic deployment of officers strictly using the standard operating procedure, strict enforcement of extant guidelines by the tariff and trade department and automation of the Customs process, thereby eliminating vices associated with the manual process.
He said others include; robust stakeholder sensitization resulting in more informed/voluntary compliance and increased disposition of officers and men to put national interest above selves.
He explained that the partial border closure, which has forced cargoes that could have been smuggled through the porous borders to come through the sea and airports raised revenue collection from the ports.
“Before the commencement of the border drill on August 20, 2019, revenue generation was between N4 billion to N5 billion but now NCS generates between N5 billion to N7 billion daily.
‘‘The partial border closure is a decisive action against the challenging issue of trans-border crime and criminalities, fueled by the non-compliance to ECOWAS Protocol on transit of goods by neigbhouring Countries.” He said NCS hopes that the ongoing discussions with the nation’s neighbours will yield permanent solution to the challenges of border security. However, he said the Service wishes to express its readiness to strictly implement the outcome of the ongoing diplomatic engagements.
“In the same vein, the Service efforts to prevent the entry of items that could compromise the security of our citizens, national economy and the well being of our people resulted in the seizures of 30,906 assorted items with a duty paid value of N62,134 billion.”
He said the seizures include arms, ammunitions, illicit drugs, used clothings, vegetable oil, frozen poultry foods and foreign rice among others that have grave consequences on the economy security and well being of Nigerians.
“While we give our assurances of total commitment to the course of nation building, we call on Nigerians, especially the business community to support the NCS in its ongoing drive to robustly contribute to national security and create the enabling environment for businesses to thrive in the country.”