… Facilitates export worth N522 billion
The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Area II Command, Onne in Rivers State has said that it collected a total of Two Hundred and Forty-Two Billion, Ninety Million, Six Hundred and Twenty-Nine Thousand, Three Hundred and Nine Naira, Twenty-Nine kobo (₦242,090,629,309.29) as revenue from duty paid on imported goods in the year 2022.
The command which disclosed this in a statement in Onne on Monday by Lomba Benjamin, Superintendent of Customs on behalf of the Customs Area Controller, revealed that the amount was higher than the amount collected in 2021 and 2020 respectively by Fifty-Four Billion, Four Hundred and Twenty-Four Million, One Hundred and Forty-Six Thousand, One Hundred and Ten Naira, Thirteen kobo (₦54,424,146,110.13) and One Hundred and Twenty-Three Billion, One Hundred and Thirty-One Million, Four hundred and Fourteen Thousand, Three Hundred and Nine Naira, Seventy-Six kobo (₦123,131,414,309.76).
According to the statement, the amount collected in 2022 represented a 28.3% increase as against what was collected in 2021 and 59% increase over revenue collected in year the 2020.
The statement explained that the command’s revenue profile had continued to be on the rise annually as a result of the ongoing reforms in the command some of which included robust stakeholder sensitization resulting in more informed/voluntary compliance, strict enforcement of extant guidelines, increased disposition of officers and men to put national interest above self as well as strategic deployment of officers to various duty post.
It also noted that the command also recorded remarkable achievements in the area of trade facilitation, security and welfare adding that notable among these were commissioning of ultra-modern mobile scanner, upgrading and installation of 24 hours CCTV network cameras within and around the Government warehouses, building of security watch towel in the Government warehouse environment, upgrading of the Customs Clinic in Ebubu Barracks and installation of modern clinical equipments and upgrading of the old Customs Processing Centre (CPC) to 100 sitting capacity modern conference room.
The statement further disclosed that a total of 1,096,646.14 metric tonnes of goods with a total Free On Board (FOB) value of $1,268,038,648.91 which is equivalent to ₦522,102,233,326.76 at ₦411.7 per dollar was processed through the command last year while a total of ₦2,713,884,004.19 was recorded for Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) which it said was higher when compared with year 2021 record of ₦881,011,957.22.
“This shows that the command achieved outstanding feats in its export activities within the period under review”, it added.
It went to state that the command had a total of fifty (50) seizures in the year under review, with a Duty Paid Value, DPV of One Billion, Seven Hundred and Sixty-One Million, Eight Hundred and Seventy-Nine Thousand, Four Hundred and Twenty-Eight Naira, Nine kobo ₦1,761,879,428.9.
Some of the seizures, according to the statement were: 12,560 cartons of Tomatoes paste with Duty Paid Value of ₦137,618,985.00; 1,665 cartons of pharmaceutical products with Duty Paid Value of ₦338,103,951.00; 3,768 bales of Textiles fabrics with Duty Paid Value of ₦475,833,592.45; 2100 gallons of 25 litre Vegetable oil with Duty Paid Value of ₦66,549,420.00; 4409 cartons of Soap/Detergent with Duty Paid Value of ₦159,665,612.00 among others.
While pointing out that the management had consistently made it clear that the command welcomed only compliant traders who were willing to operate in accordance with the laid down extant laws and guidelines of importation and exportation, it also said, “We have also shown a clear resolve to deal ruthlessly with importers and agents who manifest a recalcitrant attitude to obeying these laws.
“The command maintains open lines of communication with all governments agencies at all times. The process of information sharing within the agencies goes a long way in assisting us to identify and neutralize all possible avenues that could lead to compromises in revenue and security.
“The seizures made last year are products of synergy between the command, other units within the service and other security agencies. These units include Customs Intelligence Unit, CGC Strike Force, Valuation, Customs Police and Post Clearance Audit while other security agencies include the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Immigration Service, the Nigeria Ports Authority (NPA), officers of Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) among others.”
While assuring that the command looks forward to unprecedented performance this year 2023, the statement appreciated the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd.) and his management team for their consistent encouragement and support, promising continued resilience and diligence of officers and men of the command in carrying out all statutory responsibilities without compromise.
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