The Area II Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS headquartered in Onne, Rivers State has recorded an overwhelming daily revenue collection of twenty two billion, one hundred and eighty four million, eight hundred and ninety nine thousand, five hundred and eight naira (₦22,184,899,508.00) as against over two billion naira daily revenue collection recorded in the past in the command.
Also, the command recorded unprecedented monthly revenue of fifty billion, eight hundred and sixty three million, fifty three thousand, nine hundred and forty five naira, fifty four kobo (₦50,863,053,945.54) in the month of February 2024 as against forty billion, two hundred and ninety million, seven hundred and fifty five thousand, five hundred and sixty naira, ninety six kobo (₦40,290,755,560.96) collected in the previous months and years.
The Public Relations Officer of the Command, Mr. Lomba Benjamin who disclosed this in a statement in Onne on Friday further revealed that a total of one hundred and twenty four billion, six hundred and fifty two million, seven hundred and twenty eight thousand, one hundred and eighty seven naira, fifty kobo (₦124,652,728,187.50) was collected in forty nine (49) working days in 2024.
The 49 working days, according to Lomba included January, February and Five (5) working days of March which according to him, had beaten the total figure of one hundred and eighteen billion, one hundred and seventy million, seventy two thousand, four hundred and fifteen naira, fifty six kobo (₦118,170,072,415.56) released from January to June (six months) in the year 2023.
He quoted the Customs Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Baba Imam as saying that the revenue collected this year had broken four records in the command.
“In February alone, firstly, it is the highest revenue generated in the history of Area 2 Command so far and the highest revenue generated in a single month. Secondly the figure of February surpasses the monthly revenue target given to the command. Thirdly, the daily collection made on the 7th of March is the highest revenue generated in a single day. Lastly the total revenue of forty nine (49) working days in 2024 together, is above six month revenue collected between January to June 2023”, Comptroller Imam said.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer explained that the Command surpassed it daily target of one billion, eight hundred and ninety five million, eight hundred and sixty two thousand, seven hundred and nine naira, forty six kobo (₦1,895,862,709.46) by over 1,000% which is the first in the history of daily collections in the command.
He added that the revenue milestone of February 2024 represents 23.3% increase above the command’s monthly revenue target of forty one billion, two hundred and thirty five million, thirteen thousand, nine hundred and thirty naira, eighty four kobo (₦41,235,013,930.84).
According to him, when compared to the same period in February 2023 where the command generated seventeen billion, nine hundred and eighty million, one hundred and twenty seven thousand, three hundred and seventeen naira, six kobo (₦17,980,127,317.06), this figure represents an increase of 183%.
“This figure represents the highest revenue to be collected in the history of Area 2 Command as it surpasses the revenue collected in January 2024 of forty billion, two hundred and ninety million, seven hundred and fifty five thousand, five hundred and sixty naira, ninety six kobo (₦40,290,755,560.96) and, October 2023 of thirty eight billion, thirty nine million, seven hundred and sixty four thousand, three hundred and twenty seven naira, forty nine kobo (₦38,039,764,327.49)”, he stated.
The Command’s spokesman further quoted the Customs Area Controller as saying that the feat was achieved through constant stakeholder engagement, zero tolerance to revenue leakages, synergy, intelligence sharing, adding, “we have consistently made it clear that the command welcomes only compliant traders who are willing to operate in accordance with the laid down extant laws and guidelines of importation and exportation.”
“The command is optimistic and deploying various strategies to ensure that this trend continues in order to also surpass not only the monthly target, but equally surpass the target for the year 2024 of four hundred and ninety four billion, eight hundred and twenty million, one hundred and sixty seven thousand, one hundred and seventy naira, seven kobo (₦494,820,167,170.07).
“It is worthy to mention that the command before now has been having weekly sporting activities and in February this year it came to the notice of the Management of Customs and in particular the Comptroller General of Customs. Hence in addition to the performance in the area of revenue generation/collection the command received a Commendation letter to attest to our sporting activities and aligning to the CGC’s work-life balance initiative”, Lomba quoted the CAC as saying.
He disclosed that Area Controller had advised commands yet to come onbroad to follow suit for the betterment of every individual working in those area commands so that officers can be fit, physically and mentally balance to discharge their assigned responsibilities effectively.
Photo. Comptroller Baba Imam, Customs Area Controller, Area II Customs Command, Onne, Rivers State.
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