Apapa Area Controller Of Customs, Comptroller Yusuf Malanta has commended the command on the 65.7% Increase In Revenue Collection.

The Comptroller while briefing the press said the command has also resolved to clampdown on contrabands.

“I am glad to welcome you all to this first-quarter (Q1) press briefing to acquaint you with the Command’s scorecard in the areas of Import/Export trade, Anti-smuggling activities and Trade facilitation in the last three months (January-March 2022).

In the period under review, the command have collected revenue to the tune of two hundred and sixty-four billion, five hundred and thirty-six million, two hundred and one thousand, two hundred and ninety-three naira, seventy-one kobo (N264,536,201,293.71).

“This shows a significant increase of N104 billion as against 159 billion naira collected in the corresponding months of the year 2021, representing 65.7%% increase in revenue collection.

“This feat was made possible because of our officers creativity and leveraging on the service IT platform to ensure all revenue leakages have been mitigated, as well as sustaining the level of compliance by the importers/stakeholders in the clearance value chain.

The anti-smuggling activities has been a matter of central concern in the command, particularly with the activities of recalcitrant traders who are always looking for ways to undermine our system.

“The enforcement unit has been strengthened through strict monitoring, enhanced collaboration and sharing of credible intelligence with relevant government agencies to suppress smuggling activities to its barest minimum.

“Thus, the command recorded forty-six (46) seizures of various items with a duty paid value of one billion, one hundred and forty-two million, eight hundred and seventy-six thousand, six hundred- and six-naira (N1,142,876,606.00) as against twenty-eight (28) seizures made in the corresponding months of the year 2021.

“These seizures include unregistered medicaments such as tramadol and codeine syrup, unprocessed wood, used clothing, footwear, foreign parboiled rice and other sundry items that falls under prohibition list.

“These importations are in clear contravention of sections 46 and 47 of Customs and Excise Management Act, CEMA CAP C45 LFN 2004.

“At this juncture, let me reiterate that Apapa Command is always ready to assist in facilitating legitimate trade and ensuring that all forms of smuggling activities through false declaration on import/export done in defiance to extant trade guidelines will be detected through our layers of control mechanism.

Furthermore, in line with the Federal government efforts to diversify the economy through non-oil export, the command recorded exportation of agricuitural goods, mineral resources, steel, etc. For the first quarter of the year 2022.

“Statistics from the export report indicates that goods worth thirty-four billion, seventy- two million, eight hundred and sixty-nine thousand, seven hundred and ninety-nine naira (N34,072,869,799.00), with Free On Board (FOB) value of $87.992,356.10 million US dollars were exported as against N30.2 billion, which is equivalent to FOB value of $82.1 million US dollars between the months of Jan-Mar 2021.

“I want to seek the indulgence of our esteemed stakeholders to join forces with the command and ensure that items that are on the import/export prohibition list are strictly adhered to, and also urge them to prepare themselves for the emerging realities of customs examination through non intrusive inspection (NII) regime.

“The non-intrusive inspection regime is targeted at increasing volume of cargo inspection, saving cost/clearing, storing reliable data and images for reference purposes and reducing contact in the examination of containerized cargoes leading to delay in clearance time.

“Members of the press, you may recall that the achievements recorded by the command has earned us remarkable letters of commendation by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) and his entire management team.

“This has further strengthened our drive to sustain the tempo and up the ante in discharging our responsibilities.

“On this note, I want to respectfully extend my profound appreciation to the CGC and his Management team for their unwavering support, government agencies in the port for collaboration and synergy, Officers and men of Apapa Command for their tireless commitment, our compliant stakeholders and the media for their unalloyed support. Thank you.” he said.