Customs: Tin can command Clears Goods in Six Hours

Generates N104bn

Bayo Bernard

In line with the President Muhammadu Buhari government’s Directive on Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria, the Tin Can Island command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS has ensure that goods are now cleared from the Tin can ports in less than six hours.

Comptroller Abdullahi Musa, the controller of the command had promised that his officers will ensure a seamless clearance of goods when he assumed duty in the command early this year.

Goods can now be cleared easily without encountering the usual encumbrances at the Tin Can ports, the Controller Musa said while addressing select newsmen in Lagos.

Comptroller Musa also used the opportunity to commend the federal government initiative on export especially agricultural commodities, insisting that the agro policy has started yielding positive results as 45,462 metric tonnes of goods were exported through the port between January to March this year.

The Tin can customs’ boss said, agricultural produce topped the list of exports with 38,517MT of cashew nut, rubber, hibiscus flower, cocoa butter, sesame seed, processed wood, frozen shrimps and processed leather exported within the period.

The Free On Board, FOB value, according to Musa stood at N22.435 billion while 6,945MT of processed and manufactured goods exported during the has FOB value of N6.711 billion.

Empty bottles, biscuit, cigarette, polyethylene, billets, soap, hair cream and tissue paper were among the finished goods exported through the port within this period.

Musa said there was an appreciable improvement of 558.46% in terms of volume and 402.24% in terms of FOB value over 8,140.6MT with FOB of N7.246 billion processed compared to the same period in 2017.

Also, under the same period, the command generated N104.5 billion as against a projection of N116 billion, with a performance rate of 90.09%. The command generated N82.154 billion within the same period in 2017.

The revenue performance, Musa stated is bolstered as a result of establishment of standard operating procedure, blocking of areas of revenue leakages and transformation of revenue collection and reporting system.

‘Tin Can Island Command is committed to the transformation of our revenue collection and reporting system with the implementation of NICIS II with additional functionality which is an upgrade of the NICIS I,’ he said, adding ‘as part of the specific gains with the implementation we have the biometric access system and introduction of a ‘one-stop shop’ which will enable treatment of declarations with valuations, classification and other related clearance issues/queries.’

He said the automation of the cargo examination in the port is designed to ensure transparency in the inspection and there is a further improvement on the vehicle valuation system with the attachment of the Valuation Note issued to the SGD in the system.

‘This will enable a quick verification of assessment and duty payment. Ultimately the full automation of the vehicle valuation will soon be achieved,’ said he.

Comptroller Musa further disclosed that the command seized two containers (1by40 and 1by20) of Tramadol Hydrochloride (225mg) which were declared as electrical static converters and Ciprofloxacin. These were handed over to NAFDAC.

Other seizures include 3by40 containers of e-waste handed over to NESREA; 5by40 containers of second hand clothing and 1by40 container of used tyres. These seized items are prohibited.  Musa said N124 million is the total duty paid value of the seized items.