The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Area ll Command, Onne Port, Rivers State, generated a total of #13,106,025,050.24 (thirteen billion, one hundred and six million, twenty-five thousand, fifty naira and twenty – four kobo) for the month of September 2020.
The above generated revenue is the first month scorecard of the Customs Area Controller of Area II Command, Onne Port, Comptroller Auwal Mohammed, who resumed duty on the September, 01, 2020; and this is the highest monthly revenue generated in Area II Command since its creation over 37 years ago.
According to Comptroller Auwal Mohammed, “this feat is a combination of efforts by my very diligent officers and men who are unrelenting in the discharge of their duties.”
”The revenue outcome is also a confirmation of my observation on my first day in office here that I am taking over a very functional command with systems for revenue generation, trade facilitation and suppression of smuggling.”
”In my interactions with officers and port users, I harped on the need for compliance and reiterated my insistence on due process at all times by everyone interfacing with customs in the course of trade.”
”I am whole heatedly committed to achieving maximum collection of all revenue due to government through Customs duties in Onne Port and prevent any form of leakages. Where shortfalls are detected, I pursue uncompromising recovery through demand notice (DN) to prevent revenue loss.”
”While I consider our over N13b revenue generated as a laudable feat, it doesn’t call for complacency on our part. It is only a reminder to do more in our national interest to support the country’s economic well being.”
In the same vein, the Command succeeded in processing a total of 18,085.96 Metric Tonnes (MT) of export activities with Free On-Board (FOB) value of $6,441,850.67 and ₦10,595,944.43 as NESS collected.
In anti-smuggling activities, the Command recorded two (2) seizures of 13 containers comprising 400 bundles of used tyres, 100 pieces of motor radiators, 264 logs of raw hard wood, 100 pieces of car fans and 4 units of bed trailer trucks with a total Duty Paid Value of #99,917,043.80 in September 2020.
”We will continue to make this command a no go area for perpetrators of smuggling, concealments, duty evasion and any form of illegality by seizing those illegally imported and prohibited goods, arresting perpetrators and getting time prosecute in accordance with the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA),” Comptroller Mohammed said.
“Suspects whose offences fall under the purview of other government regulatory and enforcement agencies will be duly handed over for further investigations and possible prosecution,” he added.
SYNERGY WITH OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
In the area of building robust synergy between the Command and other government agencies, Comptroller Auwal Mohammed within one month has visited and interacted with the Nigeria Ports Authority, Onne; Nigerian Navy; Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command; Commissioner of Police, Eastern Ports Command; Controller Nigeria Immigration Service, Rivers Marine Command; 6 Division Nigerian Army Port Harcourt; Onne Port Director Department of State Security Service; Nigerian Air force Port harcourt; all the sheds and bonded terminals within the Command; Private sector stakeholders like West African Container Terminal, and BRAWAL shipping companies.
He has also had the privilege of playing host to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA); Association of Heads of Federal Government Establishment Rivers State Chapter, Nigeria Correctional Services; Association of International Traders, Association of Nigeria Customs Licensed Agents (ANCLA); National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), and many others.
The collective resolve is to fight criminality, protect law abiding Nigerians and ensure seamless information sharing and operational synergies whenever or wherever the need arises.
The Area Controller commended the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd.) and his management team for their mandate of zero tolerance for illegalities; and reiterated that the importers and stakeholders must operate within the limits of the extant laws which will make the port operations friendly and trade facilitation move faster.
