By Foster Obi
Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has recorded progressive 27 percent increased revenue for the third quarter of the year, July to September 2020 when compared with the corresponding period in the year 2019.
Mohammed Abba-Kura, Customs Area Controller of the Command, told the media that the difference was a whopping N30, 081,388,781.01 in actual figures.
According to him, “In the third quarter of 2020 (i.e July-September), the Command collected revenue to the tune of One hundred and Forty billion, Three hundred and Thirty-five million, Five hundred, Seventy thousand, Seventy-six naira and thirty-eight kobo (N140,335,570,076.38) as customs duty and other charges.
“In comparison to the revenue collected same period in 2019 which stood at One hundred and Ten billion, Two hundred and Fifty-four million, One hundred and Eighty-one thousand, Two hundred and Ninety-five naira and thirty-seven kobo (N110, 254,181,295.37). This clearly shows a progressive difference of Thirty billion, Eighty-one million, Three hundred and Eighty-eight thousand, Seven hundred and Eighty-one thousand and One kobo (N30, 081,388,781.01), depicting 27% increase of collection for the period under review.
“Furthermore, in detailing the revenue collection of the Command from January-September, 2020 the sum of Three hundred and Sixty-seven billion, Six hundred and Eighty-two million, Six hundred and sixteen thousand, Three hundred and nine naira and Twenty-three kobo (N367,682,616,309.23) was collected and remitted to the federation account as against Three hundred and thirteen billion, Five hundred and Eighteen million, Two hundred and thirty-five thousand, Nine hundred and Seventy-eight naira and Six kobo (313,518,235,978.06) collected same period in 2019. This shows a significant increase difference of N54, 164,380,331.17 representing 17 percent increase,” the CAC declared.
He added, “The difference recorded was made possible as a result of resilience of officers in ensuring that importers and agents are made to do proper declarations, adhere strictly to import/export guidelines in tandem with extant laws.”
He also spoke on other areas he thinks that Command has made progressive difference. “In the area of anti-smuggling, Officers and men of the Command are not resting on their oars in enforcing government fiscal policies and other trade guidelines. Thus, the command made a total seizure of One hundred and Eighty-seven (187) containers of pharmaceutical products and other general goods from July 1st to September 30th. These seized items include:72 containers of pharmaceutical products, 24 containers of foreign parboiled rice, 23 containers of secondhand clothing and other sundry items.
“The cumulative Duty Paid Value (DPV) of the aforementioned items stood at Three billion, Six hundred and forty million, Eight hundred and Ninety-four thousand, Eight hundred and Eighty-eight naira only (N3, 640,894,888.00).
“In addition, from January to September, 2020 the Command seized a total of 328 containers of various goods with DPV of nineteen billion, five hundred and forty five million, eight hundred and forty nine thousand, one hundred and eight naira (19,545,849,108.00) as against 37 containers seized in the same period in 2019 with a DPV of less than 3 billion naira.
“These items were seized mainly because of various forms of infractions which range from false declarations, non-adherence to import/export guidelines and failure to comply with other extant regulations as enshrined in the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA).
“In the area of export trade, the period under review recorded exportation ofgoods worth Twenty-six billion, Two hundred and seventy-three million, Seven hundred and six thousand, Eight hundred and Twenty-two naira (N26, 273,706,822.00) exported from the country.
“These exported goods include: Mineral resources, Steel bars, Agricultural products amongst others with a total tonnage of 378,447 million tones and Free On Board (FOB) value of $85,861,787.00Similarly, the volume of export trade from January-September, 2020 stood at N78,643,231,290.00 with FOB value of $257,003,965.00.
“In the area of stakeholder’s engagement, the Command has maintained its open-door policy and resolved a lot of issues of common interest with concerned stakeholders. At this juncture, let me reiterate my call to our esteemed panthers in the clearance value chain to always brace up to the emerging challenges as we work together to move the country forward,” the CAC noted.
He urged his Officers and men of the Command to remain focused and steadfast in discharging their assigned responsibilities, adding, “I equally want to extend my appreciation to our respective Customs Units domiciled in the Command for their continued support as well as the media.”
Pix: Mohammed Abba-Kura, Customs Area Controller, Apapa Command
