Zika Bobby
The Nigeria Customs Service, Area ll Command, Onne Port, Rivers State generated a total of N13,106,025,050.24 in the month of September 2020.
The above generated revenue was the first month scorecard of the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Auwal Mohammed, who assumed duty on September, 01, 2020; as well as the highest monthly revenue generated in Area II Command since its creation over 37 years ago.
According to Comptroller Auwal Mohammed, “this feat is a combination of efforts by my very diligent officers and men who are unrelenting in the discharge of their duties.”
“The revenue outcome is also a confirmation of my observation on my first day in office here that I am taking over a very functional command with systems for revenue generation, trade facilitation and suppression of smuggling.” “In my interactions with officers and port users, I harped on the need for compliance and reiterated my insistence on due process at all times by everyone interfacing with customs in the course of trade.” “I am whole heatedly committed to achieving maximum collection of all revenue due to government through Customs duties in Onne Port and prevent any form of leakages.
Where shortfalls are detected, I pursue uncompromising recovery through demand notice (DN) to prevent revenue loss.
”While I consider our over N13 billion revenue generated as a laudable feat, it doesn’t call for complacency on our part. It is only a reminder to do more in our national interest to support the country’s economic well being,’ he said.
Meanwhile, the Command succeeded in processing a total of 18,085.96 Metric Tonnes (MT) of export activities with Free On-Board (FOB) value of $6,441,850.67 and ₦10,595,944.43 as NESS collected.
In anti-smuggling activities, the Command recorded two seizures of 13 containers comprising 400 bundles of used tyres, 100 pieces of motor radiators, 264 logs of raw hard wood, 100 pieces of car fans and 4 units of bed trailer trucks with a total Duty Paid Value of N99,917,043.80 in September 2010.
The controller said he will continue to make the command a no-go area for illegal activities.
He lauded the robust synergy between the Command and other government agencies and
Private sector stakeholders,
stressing that their collective resolve is to fight criminality, protect law abiding Nigerians and ensure seamless information sharing and operational synergies whenever or wherever the need arises.
He commended the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd.) and his management team for their mandate of zero tolerance for illegalities; and reiterated that the importers and stakeholders must operate within the limits of the extant laws which will make the port operations friendly and trade facilitation move faster.