Tincan Customs rakes in N262.3bn …Records N28.8bn revenue increase …Gets commendation from revenue committee
Tincan Customs rakes in N262.3bn
.Records N28.8bn revenue increase
.Gets commendation from revenue committee
By Udeme Clement & Silas Onuoha
The Tincan Island Command of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has made an impressive record in revenue generation, as the Command realised a total of N262.3 billion from January to November 2017.
The Public Relations Officer, PRO, of the Command, Uche Ejesieme, disclosed this in a document signed and made available to Financial Business & Maritime News, explained that the N262.3 billion generated in 2017 is far greater than N233.5billion realised in the corresponding period of 2016 fiscal year.
He said that a comparative analysis of the figures stated above indicates the difference of N28.8billion, representing a significant increase from the amount generated in the previous year (2016).
According to the PRO, “This disclosure was made by the Customs Area Controller, CAC, of Tincan, Comptroller Bashar Yusuf, while receiving a delegation of the Federation Account Allocation Committee, FAAC, Post Mortem Sub-Committee in his office. Those in the group include senior government officials from key revenue generating ministries and Parastatals led by the Chairman, Mr. Casmir Anyanwu.”
In his speech, the Chairman pointed out that the primary objective of the Committee is to examine across board into the Federation Account, with a view to ensuring that revenue accruing to government is duly accounted for, including that of Federal, State and Local Governments.
He stated further that the Committee, as part of it’s oversight function, has the mandate of the Comptroller-General of Customs, CGC, Hameed Ali, to visit Customs Commands, to ascertain their strength, weaknesses and challenges, with a view to advising government on their findings.
The Chairman described Tincan Port as a major gate way to the resources of the Country and therefore very key to the Nigerian Project.
In his welcome speech, the CAC of Tincan expressed appreciation with the visit, stated that the timing was apt, considering the fact that the Country is gradually recovering from recession and needs sustainable growth. He stated emphatically that Tincan Command has made significant and steady progress in the areas of its core functions in the past 18 months.
Comptroller Bashar whose outstanding performance as Tincan CAC has attracted commendations from different maritime agencies in the country, informed the Committee of various reforms he instituted shortly after assumption of duty, which include the use of modern Information Communication Technology, ICT, in Customs processes to fast track operations, construction of a training facility with 30 workstations, to take care of the training needs of not just officers but also other critical stakeholders .
The CAC pointed out that the Command has started reaping the benefits of such training in terms of the volume of revenue generated over the period and level of compliance by traders with regards to fiscal policies.
The words of CAC: “We recorded remarkable seizures of cocaine with a street value of over N2billion according to report from National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, handed over; stolen exotic SUV’S to Interpol Nigeria for onward repatriation to U. S. A; seizures of pump action riffles totaling 2010, which eventually necessitated the recent visit of the President to Turkey with other top government officials, to see ways of curbing the menace”.
While exchanging opinions on what government can do to enhance efficiency of the Command in revenue generation, the CAC mentioned that infrastructure upgrade (Road network to the Port) scanners and other equipment will surely enhance the output of the Service greatly.
The CAC assured the Committee that Tincan Command will not lower it’s guards in all aspects of its statutory functions. He promised to raise the standards of operations through renewed enthusiasm and deeper commitment from the officers of the Command.
The Chairman and members of the delegation expressed delight at the achievements of the Command in the past 18 months, having gone through the financial records, particularly in the areas of consistent progress in revenue generation, capacity building for officers of the Command as well as remarkable seizures. He urged the CAC to remain focused as ever.