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Review Overview
Compt. Musa Jibril
The flagship of the Nigeria Customs Service, the Apapa Area Command in the first quarter of 2018 has collected the sum ofN81, 748, 437, 192. The amount when compared to the N77, 439, 645, 715 in the same period in 2017 shows an increase in the revenue profile of the command by N4, 307, 791, 477. This was contained in a press statement issued by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Nkiruka Nwala. With this feat the Command is optimistic that with the roll out of the Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System II (NICIS II) in Apapa which is expected to block all revenue leakages as well as the repairing of the Apapa axis roads, the Command will build on her revenue profile in the months ahead.
In anti- smuggling, the command in the first quarter recorded four seizures of 4x40ft containers of controlled drugs including tramadol in excess of approved milligrams. The duty paid value of the drugs was put at N110, 016, 524.
The command also for the first time in recent years recorded Export proceeds of about 280,000 metric tons of various products with a total FOB value of $115,093,562 US dollars.
The statement said that Customs Area Controller, Jibril Musa has continued to reinvigorate all strategies and mechanisms put in place for the effective and efficient implementation of the Federal Government’s Executive order on the Ease of Doing Business. It is worthy of note that the NCS is the lead Agency in the implementation of the presidential mandate and Apapa Area Command was selected as the pilot command had since created the Central Examination Centre (CEC) where all stakeholders involved in cargo clearance Conduct examinations at an agreed time with reports imputed almost immediately.
This synergy and interfacing had paid off remarkably as consignments with no record of infractions are released within 24 hours while those with infractions are referred to dispute resolutions committee for further interventions/investigations.
The release also said the Controller has pledged his resolve to keep strengthening the already robust working relationship and collaborations among all agencies of government for an enhanced international trade facilitation. Within the period under review he played host to different high- level Government delegations from within and outside the country with a view of promoting efficiency and facilitation of trade in the country. Among them are the Senate Committee on Customs led by its chairman Sen. Hope Uzodimma, a delegation from Japanese Customs led by the Japanese ambassador to Nigeria, National Committee on trade facilitation led by its Chairman Mr. A. M. Abubakar, New Commander Nigeria Navy Clearance Agency, NAFDAC Director in charge of Ports Inspection Prof. S. B. Adebayo and a delegation from NTA. Others who visited the command include one of the NCS reform champions, DC Tony Anyalogu who sensitized officers on revised government fiscal policy in line with the presidential executive order and the new palletization policy.
Relatedly, the command also played host to the Deputy Comptroller General of Customs in- charge of Excise industrial incentive and Free Trade Zones (EII&FTZ ) DCG Iferi Patience (P.hD) who visited the LADOL Free Trade Zone and wharf to ascertain the compliance level to the provisions of laid down regulations on Free Trade Zone Concessions.
The purpose for these visits was all to cement the already existing working relationship and to seek possible ways of improving the speedy consignments/ cargo clearance.
The Apapa Area Command wishes to appeal to all stakeholders and the general public at large to cooperate with the NCS by always ensuring total compliance to extant laws and regulations which at the long run will improve our rating in the global trade indices for a seamless and speedy cargo clearance.
