Tin Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has processed a total of 150,930 metric tons of export with free on board (FOB) value of N68.88 billion from the port between January and June.
This is compared to 118,452mt of goods exported through the port with FOB of N63.10 billion within corresponding period of 2018.
Baba Abdullah Musa, the command’s Controller, also said his unit generated a total revenue of N179.2 billion in the first half of 2019.
The half-year revenue figure, which represents 52.28 percent of its annual target, is N6.7 billion higher than the N172.5 billion collected in the corresponding period of 2018.
A statement by Tin Can Port Customs Public Relations Officer, Uche Ejesieme, said efforts were in top gear to prevent smuggling and other infractions
“The command is leaving no stone unturned in the area of anti-smuggling in view of the devastating effect of smuggling to the nation and its implications on lives and security. Consequently, deliberate and concerted efforts are being made to ensure that examination and releasing officers remain proactive in the discharge of their statutory functions,” Musa was quoted saying in a statement by Ejesieme.
He noted that during the period under review, the command recorded seizures of 5 x 40ft and 4 x 20ft containers comprising of various non-custom goods such as used tyres and used rims, bags of rice, cartons of Tramadol and other pharmaceuticals with a total duty paid value (DPV) of N1.15 billion.
According to the statement, the command is also upholding trade facilitation through regular stakeholder engagement and feedback, dispute resolution committee, time release studies, help desk, one-stop-shop as well as fast track facilities.
“Efforts are in top gears at finding actionable modalities for the use of barges in transferring cargo from the mother port to off-dock terminals, with a view to reducing congestion and speed up cargo delivery, as cargo throughput is increasing, and road infrastructure overstretched,” Musa said.
In similar vein, the NCS Ports Terminal Multi-services Limited (PTML) Command made N75,706,005,990 between January and last month.
The mid-year collection, according to the Customs Public Relations Officer, Mohammed Yakubu, is 30.7 percent higher than the N57,902,029,534 collected the same period last year.
Yakubu attributed the increase to higher volume of trade and the policy of the Area Controller, Florence Dixon, to prevent revenue loss and facilitate trade.
He added that increased diligence on the part of the command’s officers also boosted its output.
A breakdown of the collection showed monthly increase in the year compared to what was collected same period last year.
The command recorded 49 percent increase in January with a collection of N14,850,154,616 against N9,967,751,491 collected in January, last year.
It recorded 38 per cent increase in February, this year with N10,024,673,259 as against N7,267,306,206. In March, it collected N11,853,972,028, which is 41 per cent more than N8,421,060,484 of last year.
Between April and June, the Command collected N13,282,567,334, N12,352,449,543 and N13,342,189,210 with 22,13.7 per cent and 26.8 per cent increase above N10,858,205,216, N10,866,889,939 and N10,520,816,198.
