The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Port Harcourt Area II Command, Onne Port, has reported an estimated total income of N115.3 billion for the six-month period from January to June 2022, citing better trade compliance by port users.
The figure represents a notable rise of around N37.1 billion (47%) over the N78.2 billion collected for the same period in 2021 and N68.6 billion (147%) over the N46.7 billion for the same period in 2020.
According to a press release from the Command Public Relations Officer, SP Ifeoma Onuigbo Ojekwu to Hybrid News, reviewing the half-year performance, the Area Controller, Comptroller Auwal Mohammed, said the revenue collection showed a monthly upward progression, which led to the cumulative differences in the three-year period under review.
The command conducted 28 seizures in the anti-smuggling campaign region, consisting of nine containers, with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N531.39 million in the 2022 half-year. The number of seizures outnumbered the 20 made between January and June 2021 by eight.
They contained, among other forbidden or under-declared commodities, machetes (a trade infraction for being brought into the nation without an end-user certificate), military apparel, vegetable oil, whisky, soap, used clothing, used tyres, foreign parboiled rice, tomato paste, and used car parts.
Under export, a total of 876,775.60mt with $495,384,221.99 Free On Board (FOB) and Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) value of N1. 07 billion were processed through the command.
In comparison to the first half of 2021, the export figure represents a value increase of nearly 150%. Statistics show that as of June 2021, the command has processed 331,356.40mt, valued at $141,422,075.87 FOB (or approximately N58,229,125,517) and NESS (N260,150,300.13).
Meanwhile, Comptroller Mohammed has informed port users that Onne is home to a Domestic Export Warehouse (DEW) that has been authorized by the Federal Government.
He claims that the DEW gives exporters more chances to prepare and package their goods while having a seamless export cargo facility in Onne that is connected directly to vessels.
He guaranteed that the DEW facility would receive proper scrutiny from regulatory and governmental organizations, including a Customs examination.
Before it officially launches, the command has aligned with the facility, which Mohammed described as a one-stop shop to promote and encourage export trade. He continued: “This revenue, seizures, and export figures coming at the end of the first half of the year attest to a good outcome from our efforts.
“I want to thank our complying traders as well as my officers and men for upholding the vision and carrying out the service’s purpose without compromising.
“There are many benefits associated with compliance, as I have always stated in our parades with officers and meetings with stakeholders.
It also helps traders make more money by lowering the risk of demand letters and penalty payments being paid by anyone trying to cut corners. It also improves the port user’s integrity level in our profile system for fast track, among other advantages.
“Our partners in progress are compliant traders. Under fact, we as a service in this command will continue to support them in a legal manner.
In order to implement government programs that would strengthen national security and economic interests, it is also advisable to thank other government agencies for their cooperation, intelligence sharing, and camaraderie.
“I want to implore every one of our officers to be ready to perform in the second half of this year and let’s work together to achieve exceptional outcomes in every one of our functions. My optimism is great because even the use of scanners will increase our productivity.