By Chinonye Anyatonwu.
The new Customs Area Controller (CAC) Apapa Customs Command of the Nigeria Customs Service ( NCS) Comptroller Yusuf
Malanta has set higher revenue targets for Command as he begins reign at the helm of the Command.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, Compt. Malanta Yusuf after receiving hand-over notes from his predecessor, Assistant Comptroller-General, Headquarters, ACG Mohammed Abba-Kura, called for attitudinal change among officers, charging them to work harder in order to achieve more result.
Listing the achievements of the command under his watch, the out gone area controller, now promoted to Assistant Controller Generally (ACG)Headquarter, ACG Mohammed Abba-Kura said the Command made huge improvement in its annual revenue from #404 billion in 2018 to #423billion in 2019 and #518billion in 2020.
On the 2020 revenue collected at the Command which was more than one-third of the total revenue accrued by the Customs, Malanta said; “Last year’s revenue has a little stitches following the COVID-19 pandemic. If we address the issues, we can achieve more this year. There are loopholes and lacuna that we can close to generate more revenue”
Earlier in his message to officers and stakeholders, Abba-Kura stated that it was a privilege to have served as the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Apapa Command in the last 23 months.
His words: “Precisely on the 18th of March 2019, I assumed the office of the CAC with a mission, and that mission was to consolidate of the legacies of my predecessors and to create an enabling environment where officers and stakeholders could work harmoniously for the betterment of the Nation.”
He stated that over, the command achieved collection of over nine hundred and forty-six billion, two hundred and seventy-six million, five hundred and forty-three thousand, ninety-naira five kobo and remitted same to the Federation and non-federation accounts respectively (946,276,543,090.05); improvement in the annual revenue collection from N404billion in the year 2018 to N423billion in year 2019 thereby indicating an increase of N19billion.”
Increase in seizures and its Duty Paid Value (DPV) from 97 in the year 2018 to 114 in 2019 and 318 in the 2020 respectively. In terms of DPV, the difference in value of 2019 seizure and that of 2020 stood at N12.5billion, notable among these seizures were controlled drugs like tramadol, codeine among others. Securing court condemnation order on all seized items in year 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 respectively.
Transfer of one thousand one hundred and forty-seven (1,147) overtime containers Government Warehouse Ikorodu in conjunction with relevant stakeholders.
Enforcing compliance to import and export guidelines leading to increase in both revenue and the arrest of offending articles of trade.
Quick and prompt resolution of disputes, which he said allow importers to take delivery on board and resolve issues, adding that in some cases, consignments were released referring to the Single Goods Declaration form (SGD) to Post Clearance Audit unit (PCA) for follow up.
Winning the World Customs Organization (WCO) certificate of Merit for the year 2020 for outstanding performance, also training of 404 senior officers of the Command in various aspect of customs operations.
Training of various shareholders on the operation of Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS).
Resuscitation of the Command gym center to a modern one. Construction of model clinic in the command to address medical emergencies for both officers and stakeholders.
Abba-Kura also renovated the entire administration block of the command, equipping offices with air- conditioners among others.
In response, Compt. Malanta said Apapa command is a command where compliant traders are treated with dispatch on a fast track basis and assures that the command under his watch would continue to build on existing legacies of his predecessor.
He solicit for more of the assistance given to the out gone ACG to be accorded to him in order to work as a team, he advice’s officers to be mindful of their duties and follow right procedures in whatever they are doing.
