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More than N212.5 billion was raked in as revenue by the Premier command-Apapa in the first three months of this year.
In the first quarter media briefing today, the Controller is delighted to meet with all once again after the very engaging and fruitful interface we had on the day I assumed duty in January, taking over from my predecessor, to acquaint you with the command’s scorecard in the last three months (January-March 2023).
Our functions of revenue generation and collection, suppression of smuggling and facilitating legitimate trade have been consistently implemented within the first three months of 2023.
While I am meeting with various stakeholders and partner government
agencies to ensure the tempo of compliance is sustained and improved upon, the command stood forthright in foling attempts at smuggling prohibited
items into and out of the country.
EXPORT
For export trade, the command processed agricultural goods such as sesame
seeds, ginger, hibiscus, mineral resources, steel ingot and others with a total
tonnage of 110,448 metric tonnes in the first quarter of 2023. Statistics from
the export report shows that the exported goods are worth seventy billion, two hundred million, eight hundred and twenty-nine thousand, three hundred and fifty-eight naira, sixty-seven kobo (N70,200,829,358.67) which
is equivalent to Free on Board (FOB) value of $159,845,232.84 (N212,592,680,700.99) covering January-March 2023.
ANTI SMUGGLING
Our resolve to enforce government fiscal policies and extant laws to ensure
that all import and export consignments transiting through Apapa Port are
duly examined has been strengthened through effective collaboration and
timely sharing of credible intelligence with sister government agencies in the
port.
Within the period under review, the command made seizures of fourteen
(14) containers comprising of prohibited items such as vegetable oil, footwears, used clothing, unprocessed wood, and tramadol tablets with a Duty Paid Value of twenty-two billion, ninety-nine million, six hundred and eighteen thousand, one hundred and eleven naira (N22,099,618,111.00).
Members of the press, t is pertinent to mention that on Friday, 31 March
2023, we uncovered a large quantity of 225mg of tramadol tablets concealed
in 2x40ft container numbers TRHU 4758549 and TRHU 6936803 where
one hundred and forty-three milion, eight hundred thousand (143,800,000)
tablets of Tramadol 225mg were discovered in 720 cartons weighing 10.3
tonnes (10,386kg) that originated from India. This single seizure is valued
at twenty-one bilion, six hundred million naira (N21,600,000,000.00).
We are on the look-out for those behind such unlawful importation for arrest
and very soon we will track them down to face the full wrath of the law. As
a service, we owe Nigerians the duty to prevent this kind of importation from
entering the market to safeguard the health of the citizenry.
Let me use this opportunity to warn perpetrators of smuggling, duty evasion
and other forms of criminality frowned upon by the Customs and Excise
Management Act (CEMA) and other extant laws, that Apapa Command will
only facilitate legitimate trade.
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT/INTER AGENCY COLLABORATION
Since my assumption of duty here, I have been meeting with various
stakeholder groups comprising importers, exporters, licensed agents, frelght
forwarders, and others. I am happy to note that these meetings are yielding
good results and will be sustained in days ahead.
In this command, we have a deliberate culture of inter-agency collaboration
with other government organizations. Within this first three months, I have
enjoyed robust sharing of credible intelllgence and support from other
agencies of government.
On this note, I want to respectfully extend my profound appreciation to the
CGc, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) CFR and his Management team for their
untiring support, government agencies in the port for collaboration and
synergy, officers and men of Apapa Command for their determined
resilience.
Finally, I must also thank you, my friends from the media. You are strategic
in passing out our messages to stakeholders and the general public. Your
role in enlightening people about compliance and deterring them from
unlavful activities is invaluable.
Thank you all and God bless.
