Apapa Customs Adds N203bn To Federation Account

By Modinat Eniodunmo

The Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), generated revenue to the federation account totaling N203.2 billion in the half year 2019, the command has said.

The figure is higher than N176. 7billion generated in the corresponding year 2018 and represents 54.5% of the annual revenue target of the command.

It also recorded $46, 613, 453.75 as a Free On Board (FOB) value for exported goods within the period, according to Muhammad Abba Kura, the area controller.

Abba Kura disclosed this on Tuesday in Apapa to journalists.

According to him, the command has recorded a total of 95, 229.15 metric tons of exported goods within the period under review.

Abba- Kura explained that most of the exported products were agricultural products.

The command boss said that the monthly target of the command in 2019 was N31.046,655 billion while the 2019 target stood at N372.5 billion.

Within the period, the command seized a total 29 various items that contravened import procedures.

“The items include tomato paste, vegetable oil, ladies and girls fashion items, Tramadol and other drugs. It also includes armoured glasses without end user certificate and drilling pipes labelled in foreign language,” Abba Kura said.

He attributed the revenue success of the command to strict adherence to professionalism through sensitization of officers to their responsibilities.

“Periodic stakeholders engagement, open door policy, prompt resolution of disputes by the Dispute Resolution Committee as well as maintaining right synergy and collaboration with other sister agencies also contributed to the command’s increased revenue,” he said.

Adding that, the command was able to achieve tremendous success with the support of the officers and men of the command.

“We continue to build on existing strategies put in place by my predecessor, Comptroller Bashir Abubakar, with the 100 per cent examination along with video and pictures,”Abba-Kura said.

He said that two 40ft containers of 25kg foreign parboiled rice from Tihaland were intercepted and a container of medicament including tramadol due to false declaration.

Abba-Kura explained that the parboiled rice was declared as processed furniture and the Tramadol tablet was declared as medicament.

He charged importers to jettison the habit of false declaration.