The new Controller of the Nigeria Customs Service (NSC), Area II Command, Onne, Rivers State, Comptroller Auwal Mohammed, has vowed to dismantle all bottlenecks and block revenue leakages to ensure smooth delivery of the Federal Government’s mandate in the sector.
Mohammed, who spoke during a meeting with stakeholders and the outgoing controller, Comptroller Galadima Saidu, also urged agents and all parties at the port to do the right thing, vowing that there would be no room for compromise.
Mohammed however appealed for maximum support and cooperation of officers of the command and other relevant stakeholders to achieve excellent results.
On his part, Saidu disclosed that the Command under his watch, generated about N70 billion between January and August this year, and hinged the improved revenue generation on the volume of trade, blocking of leakages, and ensuring high level of port users’ compliance among others.
He said despite the low activities occasioned by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Command was not deterred in giving its best.
According to Saidu, officers of the Command keyed into the stipulated mandate of achieving speedy clearance of cargo while carrying out 100 percent physical examination, which provided the needed impulsion, and created the enabling environment for trade facilitation.
He also disclosed that the Command recorded 31 seizures within the period under review, which included 27 containers with a total Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N825 million.
“A breakdown of the seizures indicates 802 bags of 50kg foreign rice, 5,615 kegs of 25 litres of vegetable oil, 641 of used white cement, 6,500 of the used canvas, 6,500 pieces of aluminum zinc, 5,300 roles of royal carpets among others,” he stated.
He said the anti-smuggling drive has been unrelenting, adding that the Command’s enforcement was hard on smugglers and non-compliant traders.
“In view of the menace of smuggling to the nation and its scourge on lives and security of the citizens, the Command left nothing to chance to curb the ugly canker-worm, which has eaten deep into our country by the perpetrators, their agents and collaborators,” Saidu said.
