By Chinonye Anyatonwu
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ports and Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) Command announced that it has made a contribution of N51,629,992,669 to the Federation Account between the month of January and March 2022.
In a statement released by the Command Public Relations Officer (PRO), Deputy Superintendent of Customs (DSC) Muhammad Yakubu Awwal disclosed that the amount collected for first quarter of 2022 is 10.2 per cent higher than N46,850,639,870 recorded same period of 2021, which indicates an increase of N4,779,352,799.
According to the Customs Area Controller of the Command (CAC), Comptroller Festus Oyedele Okun who commended the outstanding efforts for the achievements, described it as an evidence of productivity on the part of the officers and men despite some challenges incurred.
Okun however noted that the Command will always live up to it’s responsibility of revenue collection, suppression of smuggling and trade facilitation.
Compt. Okun therefore advised importers and their agents to maximize the quick clearance potentials of the Command by being compliant all the time through making of sincere declarations and obeying all extant rules as contained in the Customs and Excise Management Act, import and export prohibition lists as well as other documents of instruction.
While reiterating officers total commitment, he said that they should remain resolute and uncompromising in the discharge of their duties.
The CAC who was delighted by the cooperation and confidence his officers have in his administration, used the opportunity to further appreciate their steadfastness and promotion of cordial relationship with stakeholders, even in the face of recent strike action over Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) valuation
He added that it is more expensive to be non compliant as it could lead to seizures, arrests, detention, demand notices and penalties, adding that compliant traders enjoy timely and cost saving services from the NCS and other regulatory, security and intelligence agencies
He said: “We as a model port dealing more with Roll on Roll off (RoRo) cargoes have always maintained a standard of four hour clearance time for compliant traders.”
I am urging all our importers and agents using PTML to take advantage of our seamless trade facilitation capacity.
“They can enjoy it only when they make sincere declarations and import in compliance with the law. It is important I remind them that compliance results in more profits and time saving. “Non compliance either leads to seizures, demand notices, penalties arrests and prosecution.
We as a Command will never bend the rules for anyone because our service is a strategic organisation for collection of non oil revenue for the Federal Government
“Our patriotism to the country will continually grow as exemplified by our Comptroller General, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali,Rtd and members of his management team”, who have been extremely supportive.
Comptroller Okun charged officers and men to redouble their efforts at ensuring no revenue leakage is allowed and infractions are promptly detected for necessary action for the second quarter which ends first half of the year.
