Concerted efforts are being made by the Customs Service to meet its more than N3.1 trillion revenue budget for this year as it has also tasked some of its ad hoc units with huge targets for 2022.
The Comptroller General’s Strike force has therefore been given a marching order to hit a weekly revenue target.
South Western zone of the Strike force is to ensure a yearly revenue generation of N24 billion henceforth. Other zones were not left out as they were also mandated to make revenue a major feature even with its primary function being anti smuggling.
The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) section of the Unit has been mandated to brace up with accurate reading of tariff and raising of Demand Notices (DN) to make up for correct import duties on goods which were intercepted as a result of not paying adequate duties.
Under Deputy Comptroller Muhammed Sani Yusuf, the Unit is to generate not less than N500 million in a week without fail to be able to meet up with the Comptroller General’s directive. With this development, it means Importers and Agents will tighten up their belts to cough out more money to clear their cargoes without cutting corners in order to achieve the set target.
DC Yusuf spoke of intelligence as a major tool in the current war against smuggling right from the seaports to the hinterland. Having approached the assignment with zeal, he noted that just like the office connotes, there ought to be serious co-ordination to achieve all the mandates given to the Strike force.
The Strike force will be more intelligence-driven as there will be little or no further chasing and roaming the street and highways stopping vehicles laden with goods, as such can only be a product of prior information.
The Strike force is made up of two components; the Enforcement and Information Communication Technology. The ICT Unit is majorly charged with the generation of the much needed revenue through the Demand Notices raised.
Yusuf is on a familiar turf; as an officer in charge of Revenue at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, from where he was redeployed to the Strike force; he has a date with history to deliver on the set target and even surpass the