Apapa Customs makes impressive performance:

• Nets over N159.5bn revenue in first quarter
• Seizes Tramadol, contraband worth over N1.8bn

(Report by Udeme Clement):

REVENUE: The Customs Area Controller (CAC), of Apapa Customs Command, Comptroller Yusuf Mallanta Ibrahim, and his officers have made impressive performance in revenue collection for the Federal Government, trade facilitation and anti-smuggling drive.

The Command realised huge revenue collection of over N159,582,047,134,11 (approximately N159.6billion), in the first quarter of 2021 (January to March).

This amount represents 44.8 percent increase in duty collection when compared to over N110 billion realised the same period from January to March 2020.

Addressing Journalists in Lagos yesterday, Comptroller Mallanta, explained that the increase recorded in revenue collection was made possible due to robust stakeholders engagement, officers resilience in discharging their duties and increased level of compliance in traders zone.

ANTI-SMUGGLING
The CAC asserted: “In the area of ANTI-SMUGGLING, officers and men of the Command are always alert in enforcing government fiscal policies and facilitation of legitimate trade.
In the last two months of assuming leadership, the Command made significant seizures of 23 containers of various items, such as unregistered pharnaceuticals like tramadol/codeine, used clothes, rice, with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N773.8million between February and March 2021.

“The total seizure for the first quarter (January to March 2021), stands at 28 container, with DPV of N1.87billion (approximately N1.9billion).

“These importations are all in breach of sections 46, 47, 161 of the Customs and Excise Management Act CAP LFN 2004 and schedules 4, & 6 of the Common External Tariff (CET). These cases are in various stages of investigation and you will be briefed from time to time as investigation progresses.”

EXPORT
In the same vein, the Command realised export trade worth over N41.559,378,029 (approximately N41.6billion), within the period under review.

The exports include manufactured products such as soap, textiles, noodles, agricultural items like cashew nuts, hibiscus, sesame seeds and other mineral resources. The total tonnage of the exports stands at 116 million tons, with FOB value of $109.6million.

STAKEHOLDERS SYNERGY
Comptroller Mallanta enthused : “Let me extend my profound appreciation to our esteemed stakeholders, sister government agencies in the port and the media for their immeasurable support. We have indeed improved on our existing collaboration in the areas of information sharing and other aspects that will make it difficult for perpetrators of trade malpractice to succeed at the premier port.

“We also achieved enhanced Customs Community Relations through meetings and strategic engagements with various Stakeholders including importers, licensed Customs agents and others who interface with Customs in trade supply chain”.

Speaking further, the CAC said his Command is using Intelligence to uncover smuggled items like tramadol and other prohibited items.

He stressed that his officers are well positioned within the port to check activities of economic saboteurs in all ramifications.