By Steve Agbota
The Ports and Terminal Multiservice Limited (PTML) command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) yesterday, said it generated a total N 224.470 billion revenue, representing about 49 per cent N238.224 billion set for 2020 adopted by the Command in 2021.
The Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller, Festus Okun, who stated this yesterday in a press briefing in Lagos, said the revenue collected shows an increase of N35.122 billion when compared with the total N189. 347 billion revenue generated in the previous year, which represents an increase of 19 per cent.
However, he said the Command handled export goods with a total tonnage of about 199,487 metric tons, with a total Free on Board (FOB) value of N132.451 billion.
In the area of anti-smuggling activities, he said the Command made some seizures in the year under review, adding that the seizure comprised of four (4) containers; (3x40ft & 1x20ft), which were found to contain bags of rice, vegetable oil, drinks, vehicles, pharmaceutical product and among others with a duty paid value of N55,529 million.
According to him, the seizures were effected because the importations were done in contravention of extant laws, saying that vegetable oil is listed under Schedule III of the Common External Tariff (CET) Prohibition (Trade).
Speaking on the challenges facing the command, he lamented that the poor state of the access roads to the port and the accompanying gridlock impacted negatively on the turn-around time for the movement of cargo outside the port, and movement of export cargo into the port.
