Apapa Customs Collects N502Bn , Steps Up  Compliance Through System Profiling, Manifest Tracking

Apapa Customs Collects N502Bn , Steps Up  Compliance Through System Profiling, Manifest Tracking

*  Compt.Mohammed charges officers on sustenance of tempo,discipline

By Frank Odinukaeze

The Apapa Command of Nigeria Customs Service has collected a total of N502,987,516,219.26 from January 2023 to date and made 16 seizures worth a duty paid value of N1.4 billion within the same period.
Customs Area Controller of the Command , Comptroller Auwal Baba Mohammed, who described the revenue collection and seizures made as fallouts of increased compliance, urged officers to redouble  their efforts in revenue collection, trade facilitating and strict enforcement of anti smuggling activities.
According to a release on Tuesday by the command’s public relations officer(PRO), Chief Superintendent of Customs (CSC) A Usman,the command made a collection of N9.2b on July 20, 2023. This feat is the highest daily collection it ever achieved in its existence since the port was established

On anti- smuggling,the CAC noted that the  seizures made within the period comprised of prohibited drugs, used tyres, rice, vegetable oil, and  sundry items.
His words,”It is noteworthy that the command made a seizure of two pistols inside one groupage cargo.  One suspect was arrested, and the matter is undergoing investigation”.

On trade facilitation,the Apapa Customs  Command under the leadership of Compt. AB Mohammed has recorded an increased level of compliance by importers, exporters, and their agents through deliberate system profiling and manifest tracking.

The statement noted that” Under the CAC’s direct supervision , dedicated officers of the command are  using the system profiling yardstick to gauge the integrity levels of importers and consignees.

” This has helped in treating traders in line with their previous transaction records, which is reassuring that compliance pays through time saving and cost efficiency”
The Controller urged all port users to be complaint and advised that compliant traders are  shielded from the risk of getting their consignments seized; imposition of penalties after demand notices and possible arrests for prosecution as the case may require.
According to Comptroller Mohammed,” Non compliant traders spend more time and money paying for terminal space due to demurrage plus higher cost due to DN”s and penalties”.
Following these laudable achievements and   in other to maintain the momentum,Comptroller Mohammed has also raised the level of electronic manifest tracking to accelerate trade facilitation leveraging on available technology.

The CAC described this feat as a masterstroke in the journey towards trade facilitation and ease of doing business.
Impressed by the huge successes recorded by the command in recent times Comptroller Mohammed at a recent monthly meeting of Terminal/Unit Heads, charged  all officers of the command to sustain and improve upon the level of discipline the command has been noted for under his watch.

He characterized discipline as the foundation of good work etiquette, such as punctuality, diligent application of Nigeria Customs Service Act (NCSA) 2023 ,and other noble virtues that align with the law.

Compt.Mohammed, further stressed that Nigeria has high expectations of the NCS and that the service is looking up to Apapa Command for its highest collection.

He  charged officers and men of the Command to use their knowledge of the job and the rules guiding the service  to facilitate legitimate trade.

He said, ” As we facilitate trade for compliant traders, let’s be wary of the possibility  of releasing un-custom goods in error or in the guise of facilitating trade

“I hereby charge you to do better in the second half of 2023 as the glory for the successes recorded in the first half belongs to all of us”