Apapa Customs Rakes N139bn In 6 Months

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The Apapa Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has increased its revenue generation capacity as it raked into government coffer N139.151 billion in the last six months.

This shows N34.46 billion or 33 per cent increase above the amount collected during the same period in 2011.

A breakdown of the revenue figure shows that the Command collected N57.9 billion in the first quarter, N19.7 billion in April, N24.6 billion in May and N36.7 billion in June, all amounting to N81.28 billion in the second quarter of the year.

Briefing newsmen on the revenue performance of the Command over the weekend, Customs Area Controller, Mr. Yakubu Garko, a controller of Customs, explained that the increase in the revenue profile of the command in the last three months was an indication that the N1 trillion target of the Service would be realised.

He said the Customs fast track clearance procedure introduced by the management of the service has helped the command to clear an average of 800 containers from the port on monthly basis.

This platform, he said, has helped to reduce the cost of doing business at Apapa port as importers and their clearing agents utilise the platform to take delivery of their consignment as at when, thereby reducing the rate of demurrage paid on cargoes at the port.

According to him, the command was not able to meet its revenue target in the first quarter owing to the nationwide strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress in the month of January over the removal of fuel subsidy, an action which resulted in the loss of over N7 billion by the command.

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On export, a total of 452,355 metric tons of commodities including cocoa beans, cashew nut, sesame seeds, ginger, hibiscus flower, processed rubber among other items, with a total market value of N83.122 billion, were exported through Apapa port in the last six months.

The command, he said, recorded about 18 seizures that comprise batteries, used engines, deodorants, car parts, electronics, furniture and used cars among others with paid value of N147,641,067 million.

He warned dishonest importers and agents to desist from circumventing the law, adding that the command will not allow such people to have their way.

While advising importers to make use of facilities such as 24-hour port operation and online facilities to facilitate their cargo clearance, he hinted that efforts are on top gear to ensure that 48-hour cargo delivery is achieved in Apapa Port.

On the recent promotion in the service where over 1,000 officers were promoted from one level to the other, 17 officers from Apapa command were given promotions and the area controller, who saw the promotion as call for dedication to duty, decorated the affected officers.

Out of the 17 officers, eight were promoted to the rank of deputy comptrollers, while two were promoted to the rank of assistant comptrollers.

—Esther Komolafe

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