REVENUE WINDFALL @ APAPA; AS OLOMU GENERATES N1.875 TRILLION, INTERCEPTS N1.5 BILLION FAKE DRUGS IN 10 MONTHS
By: Timothy Paul Okorocha
The Premier Customs command-Apapa, under the leadership of Dr Babatunde Olomu has declared a revenue profile of N1.875 trillion in the last ten months of this year.
Comptroller Olomu disclosed to newsmen today that this great feat was despite remarkable decline in the volume of trade, noting that the command recorded the achievement as it was able to block leakages.
The total of N1.875,362,369,214.4 was higher than N931,123,998,213.88 generated in the corresponding period of last year, showing a 101 percent increase.
It is instructive to state that our October 2024 collection is Two hundred and sixty-four billion, Four hundred and fifty-five million, Five hundred and eighty-seven thousand, Seven hundred and Ninety-two naira, fifty-six kobo (N264,455,587,792.56). This is the highest monthly collection in the history of this command. Therefore, we are hopeful of meeting and even surpasing our target of N2.2 trillon as the year windsd own.
ANTI SMUGGLING
Today, on the instruction of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, we shall be handing over six (6) containers carrying falsely declared and unwholesome pharmaceutical and controlled products to the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control, (NAFDAC) and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
According to the Controller, this handover further underscores the robust inter-agency collaboration between the Nigeria Customs Service and sister government agencdes in the port. It further demonstrates our ability to prevent illcit importation from entering the Nigerian market through the port.
As a service he said, we owe Nigerians the duty of preventing the import and export of cargo that could undermine their wel-being and security. These medical importations have expired, while others are not evaluated by NAFDAC and could cause damages to Nigerians, If consumed.
The content of these containers contravenes the provisions of Schedule 3 of the Common External Tariff (CET) and section 233 of the NCS Act 2023. Some of the contents are unapproved dosage of tramadol, cough syrup with codeine, injections and more.
However, from January 2024 to date, we have made well over thirty-six (36) seizures of various items ranging from used clothings, frozen poultry product, Tramadol, unregistered pharmaceutical products, and other controlled substances. These seizures are valued at over N1.5 billion
TRADE FACILITATION
He mentioned in other fora, the Nigeria Customs Service Management is driving a modern and paperless system and here in Apapa we are gearing up to migrate from the old system to a new system while maximizing the benefits of what we have presently.
Nevertheless, the command has keyed into trade facilitation tools like AEO and Advanced Ruling to ensure seamless
movement of both import and export cargoes. Furthermore, in line with the Federal Government agenda of Ease of Doing Business, the command operates on Saturdays and Sundays to ensure that importers take delivery of their cargoes devoid of any delay. We also have an intra government working system where all government agencies work together as a team without compromising the mandates of our respective agencies.
Equally, we have a wider Customs-stakeholder forum where only İssues pertaining to customs alone are looked into and addressed as and when due. It is noteworthy to state that just last week, the command faciltated the first shipment of cargo to Kenya under the AfCFTA regime.
COMPLIANCE
On my watch, the stakeholder’s compliance level in Apapa port has increased and this is a testament to the very regular interactions we have established as directed by the CGC.
I want to specially thank all sister government agencies and our strategic private sector partners for being part of the success we are celebrating today. Their contributions have been invaluable and the impacts are evident in our scorecard.
The Controller hereby invites all to see the selzures as we formally hand over to NAFDAC and NDLEA. These seizures should serve as a deterrent to those involved in any form of illegality and an encouragement for lawful and compliant traders. ‘Let me remind all our port users that every consignment passing through the NCS in this port will be subjected to thorough examination using scanners and physical means when necessary’.
He said they will continue to detect false declarations, concealment, under valuation and other unethical practices aimed at evading duties, short changing the government and exposing citizens to unsafe products.