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..Nets N404b Imports, $239.46m Exports in 2018
By Innocent Orok
Compt. Abubakar Bashir, Customs Are Controller, Apapa Area 1 Command
The Apapa Area Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS )
inline with the CGC Hameed Ali’s reward for outstanding performance yesterday honoured five of its Officers with the World Customs Organisation (WCO) merit awards of outstanding performance.
The Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Abubakar Bashir had ealier received an award for “Rendering Exceptional Service to the International Customs” on behalf of the Command during the 2019 International Customs Day Celebrations held at the Customs Headquarters in Abuja last month.
The officers who benefited from the WCO awards includes, Assistant Comptroller Bello Ale Ahmed (T/M CIU), Assistant Comptroller Faith M. Ojeifor (FTZ) and Assistant Superintendent of Customs 1 B.Zarama Adamu (CPU Manifest) others are CSC Usman Illiyasu (Staff Officer ,Sifax Terminal ) and Superintendent of Customs ,Peter Odangla (Staff Officer,CIU).
Comptroller Bashir presented the awards to them during his maiden press briefing with journalists for the 2019 to showcase the Command’s performance in the 2018 fiscal year.
X-raying the Commmad’s performance for 2018, Bashir said it generated a whooping sum of N404, 020,447,791.42 as revenue for the year 2018.
The figure when reviewed against the year target of N426,192,827, 460 represents 95% performance of the 2018 revenue target. The amount when compared to the 2017 collection increases by N53,042,035,977.22, which is 13.13% increase.
On Exports trade in the Command
Bashir said that it recorded
1, 206,649.67 metric tons of exported goods in 2018 with FOB value of $239,467,926.23 which is equivalent to N 73.157,451,463.77 billion.
According to him “The year under review also achieved high level of compliance on exports declaration, while about 2500 containers were blocked and forced to comply with the requisite guidelines ”
On anti smuggling feats a total of 72 containers of various goods such as used spare parts, used tyres and other sundry items Valued at N9.626 billion was seized in 2018.
The Controller said: ” In the year under review, the command also seized and condemned 41 of 40ft containers or controlled pharmaceutical drugs including tramadol in excess of the allowable milligrams with Duty Paid Value (DPV) N8.812billion.
“Furthermore, the command also intercepted and seized one exports bound used helicopter with registration number 5BN valued at N210.6 million and another import bound Aircraft “Cessna 182A” in CKD with serial no. 3400 valued at N486.9 million was also seized in accordance with the provision of the extant laws and guidelines.
“All these itemes were seized owning to various infractions such as false declarations, concealment and complete disregard to import and export guidelines,” Abubakar said.
Bashir attributed the successes of the command in the previous year to the selfless stance of Officers and Men of the command and also with the support and backup of the CGC, Col Hameed Ali (rtd) and his management team.
He said that the other strategies the command adopted which lead to the success includes instance on seamless operation of the imports and exports businesses by his administration.
He further explained that he introduced 24-hour disputes resolution team and one spot examination at all Units and agencies.
The strategies such as advanced system and monitoring, collaboration between internal and external units of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), and other government agencies are also the tonic that help the command attained the various feats.
He said the implementation of these strategies had helped to block most revenue leakages and enhanced trade facilitation and security in the Command.
He noted that the command achievement in 2018 earned it the World Customs Organisation (WCO) award during the WCO day in January 2019.
The Apapa Customs boss however urged stakeholders to continue to corporate with Customs by adhering strictly to the extant laws and guidelines on imports and exports for the collective goods of our nation.
