We’ve Hits highest Revenue of N55b in March – Compt. Malanta

By Innocent Orok

Comptroller Malanta

The Customs Area Controller of Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Yusuf Malanta said his Command will break the records this month by hitting N55b as revenue collection for the month of March 2021. Yusuf also disclosed that a total of 28 containers falsely declared and some contraband goods have been seized by the Command in the last two months.

The Apapa Customs boss disclosed this on Wednesday during a courtesy visit by Executive members of the Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON) to his office in Apapa, Lagos State.

Comptroller Yusuf said, despite the lull in international trade and commerce, due to the Covid19 pandemic and that this is just the month March, still early in the year, the flagship command of customs has recorded the highest revenue collection in the history of Apapa Customs.

He also disclosed that, though exportation may encounter some level of hiccups at the moment following the recent directive by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) that export cargoes should have a dedicated terminal. But that is a good decision so that all exports will not be delayed at the Command, but go straight to shipment when the arrangement is concluded.

He maintained that he is settling down to restructure the Command in accordance with his working strategy, which he said the anti -smuggling Unit of the command has intensified its enforcement which has led to the interception of the 28 containers of contraband in the last two months.

Giving a vivid background on items intercepted, Comptroller Yusuf said Tramadol, Codeine, Foreign parboiled rice, Pharmaceutical products among other product were intercepted in the 28 containers. He is optimistic that by the time he finish restructuring the Command more revenue generation and anti smuggling feats will be achieve by the Command.

On the recent report that the Command is frustrating the E-Call up of trucks put in place by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), he wondered how the command could alter an electronic system that is not in anyway connected with its operations. He said that is either accusers are ignorant of the operations of Customs or just being mischievous.

He averred that E-Call up has come to stay, but added that a new system would always have an initial teething problem, but that stakeholders have no choice than to embrace it and that patience and consistence are required to achieve success with the system as according to him that is the best way to go and that the Customs supports it fully.