CAC Dera Anselm Nnadi.
Story by Dili Utomi.
The resolve by the Customs Area Controller of the Tin Can Island Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Dera Anselm Nnadi and his lieutenants to make the year 2024 a ‘Year of the Stakeholder’ seems to be bearing the desire fruit. This is because there is an outstanding performance in terms of revenue generation in the first quarter of the year.
A press statement released by the public relations officer of the Command, Superintendent of Customs Ngozi N. Okwara on behalf of her principal details the performance of the Command over the first three months of the year 2024. Part of the statement reads ” I sincerely wish to congratulate Officers & Men of the command for embracing service delivery for our stakeholders and for teamwork which resulted to the Area Command surpass it’s first Quarter Revenue Target for 2024 by one hundred and thirty nine percent (139%) with a difference of One Hundred and Seventy Seven Billion, Seventy-Nine Million, Three Hundred and Fifty Eight Thousand, Thirty five Naira, Thirty-Six Kobo (₦177,079,358,035.36), when compared to the same period of the year 2023. All effort out into place by all Units in the Area Command for this success recorded is highly appreciated”.
CGC Adeniyi in Customs uniform (middle) at a February briefing at the TCIP Command, to his right in police uniform is Lanre Ishola and Femi Babafemi in dark suit and to his left is CAC Dera Nnadi of the Tin Can Island Port Command.
The statement adds that “The Command recorded a total collection of Three Hundred and Three Billion, Nine Hundred and Thirty Seven Million, Five Hundred and Forty-Seven Thousand, Two Hundred and Sixty Five Naira and Forty Seven Kobo (₦303,937,547,265.47) in the first quarter of 2024 (Q1 2024). This is against One Hundred and Twenty Six Billion, Eight Hundred and Fifty Eight Million, One Hundred and Eighty Nine Thousand, Two Hundred and Thirty One Naira Thirty One Kobo (₦126,858,189,231.31) recorded in the same period of 2023.
The record of the revenue generated in the first quarter shows that the Command collected a total of Eighty Eight Billion, Four Hundred and Thirty Million, One Hundred and Twenty Six Thousand, One Hundred and Twenty two Naira, Seventy-Two Kobo only (₦88,430,126,122.72) in the month of January 2024 this indicates a 107.9% upscale from the revenue collected for same period of January 2023 ; Forty-two Billion, Five Hundred and Thirty Six Million, Three Hundred And Thirty-Six Thousand, Thirty-Eight Naira, Eleven Kobo (₦42,536,336,038.11).
CAC Nnadi displaying some of the seized rifles and ammunition in March.
In the month of February 2024, the command generated One Hundred Billion, Three Hundred and Ninety-Nine Million, Three Hundred and Fifty-four Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty Seven Naira, Seventy-One Kobo only (₦100,399,354,887.71), this is 141.8% higher than the value collected in the same period in 2023 which is Forty-One Billion, Five Hundred and Eighteen Million, Seven Hundred and Thirty Eight Thousand, Six Hundred and Forty-Nine Naira and Nine Kobo (₦41,518,738,649.09).
The record for the month of March 2024 shows that the Command recorded the sum of One Hundred and Fifteen Billion, One Hundred and Eight Million, Sixty Six thousand, Two hundred and Fifty Six Naira, Twenty Kobo only (₦115,108,066,256.20) as against the Forty two Billion, Eight Hundred and Three Million, One Hundred and Fourteen Thousand, Five Hundred and Forty-Four Naira and Eleven Kobo (₦42,803,114,544.11) collected for March 30 2023; this is 163.9% increase.
In the area of enforcement and anti-smuggling, the Command’s Enforcement and Anti-Smuggling Unit has not relented in its effort to combat snuggling and all forms of criminality. Customs being the lead Agency at the Ports through it’s Enforcement Unit has coordinated several 100% physical examination under CAC Nnadi’s supervision in collaboration with Critical Stakeholders to ensure that the command is freed of any form of non-compliance in line with the International trade cycle.
“A total of 57 packets of Heroine weighing 56.390kg with a street value of (₦902, 240,000.00); 3612 packets of Colorado Indica weighing 956.772kg with a street value of (₦4,055,400,000.00). All the seized illicit drugs have been handed over to the relevant sister agencies as directed by the Service”.
In the area of stakeholders engagement, the Area Command has in the past few months hosted different sections of stakeholders’ forum (Shipping Companies; Terminal Operators; Freight Forwarders and Security Agencies etc), physically and virtually on modalities to automate communication channel to minimise revenue loss and boost rules of engagement.
On the pilot scheme execution of the Time Release Studies (TRS), Comptroller Nnadi said “I have the honour to inform you that irrespective of the challenges observed, the Area Command has not relented on its efforts to ensure that the aim is achieved. The TRS as a Customs Process aims to enhance efficiency and effectiveness within Customs Operations by assessing the time it takes for goods to be released from terminals within the port premises. This will be unveiled with time, yet be assured that there is progress”.
“In her effort to create a level playing field for importers and stakeholders by decongesting the Ports, the Command encouraged stakeholders’ approach for the establishment of new terminals. Activities have long commenced at the terminals, respectively”.
On exports and in terms of Volume (MT) and value (FOB), export trade recorded exponential growth within the same period under review. Comparatively, tonnage of goods exported via TCIP increased from 145,906.33 mT in 2023 to 251,679.89 mT in 2024 and represents an increase of 95.3%. Also, there is an over 300% increase in the FOB value of the exports from Eighty Billion, Nine Hundred and Ninty-Three Million, Five Hundred and Eighty Thousand, Seven Hundred and Ten Naira (N80,993,580,710) to Two Hundred and Eighty -Seven Billion, Seven Hundred and Ninty-Two Million,Seven Hundred and Sixty-Seven Thousand, Four Hundred and Fifteen Naira (N287,792,767,415.00) of Q1 2023 and 2024 respectively. Exports from the Command includes essentially Agricultural and other allied products, namely; Coca-Butter, Cocoa Beans, Cashew Nuts etc.
The CAC promises that “The Area Command will continue to put in more efforts towards better performance. We are optimistic that with the content of digitalisation of all Customs processes and procedures based on the modernisation agenda of the Service we will achieve more in our responsibilities”.
Comptroller Nnadi commends the support of the Comptroller General of Customs and his innovative ways of repositioning the NCS and hopes that the performance of the Command will continue to get better.
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