Apapa Customs boosts federation account with N870.4bn

Apapa Customs boosts federation account with N870.4bn

* Facilitates N245 bn exports

*As Compt Malanta begins 2022 with greater inter-agency collaboration

The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Apapa Command, Compt Yusuf Malanta Ibrahim has demonstrated outstanding managerial competence, ingenuity and resilience in carrying out his statutory duties at the nation’s premier port.

This is evident in the huge sum of N870,388,340,650.65 billion (approximately N870.4billion) generated by Compt Malanta and his team for the Federal Government, in 2021 fiscal year.
The CAC made this remarkable performance
inspite of enormous challenges faced in trade supply chain; occasioned by Covid-19 pandemic still ravaging economies around the world, high cost of freight, incessant traffic gridlock and rail construction through the port corridors.

Compt Malanta disclosed the revenue statistics to Reporters yesterday during a press conference. He stressed that the figures
clearly
showed that the revenue profile of the Command significantly increased by 68 percent, when
compared with the collection of N518.4 billion realised in the year 2020.

Compt Malanta also revealed increase in Customs revenue target to N4.1 trillion in 2022.

He informed :
“Welcome to 2022, the year of hope and high expectations, particularly with increase in the Service revenue target to N4.1 trillion. For us in Apapa Area Command, we have already boarded and fastened our seat belts toward the realisation of this revenue target (In sha Allah). We hope that the Service will surely leverage on deployment of digital transformation of Customs business processes, which will further take care of many control mechanisms through its risk management system.

“This transformation will further harmonise the activities of our stakeholders toward a seamless ease of doing business in the port.
We are determined to do more and surpass our revenue target for the year 2022, by God’s grace.”

Anti-smuggling :

Also, Apapa Command under the leadership of Compt Malanta made laudable achievements in anti-smuggling operations.
For instance, the Command recorded a total of 103 seizures with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N31.2billion.

The CAC pointed out :
“Worthy of mention here is the seizure of 46.55 kg of Cocaine concealed in vessels MV Karteria and MV Chayanee Naree laden with raw sugar. Some of the seized items include containers of foreign parboiled rice, tomato paste, secondhand clothes, unregistered pharmaceuticals like captagon pills, tramadol and codeine syrup.

“These were seizures made in accordance with the provision of sections 46, 47 and 161 of CEMA (Customs and Excise Management act) CAP C45 LFN 2004. These seizures are condemned by a competent Court of law and the suspects are still undergoing trial.
For the avoidance of doubt, I wish to repeat here that, no matter whose ox is gored, the Command is not going to tolerate any form of illicit behaviour in the trade supply chain. We are not only going to expose these recalcitrant traders (importers and their cronies), we will also ensure that they are brought to book with maximum penalty under the laws of the land.”

He emphasised :
“In line with the provision of extant circulars; trade guidelines and enforcement of government fiscal policy measures, the Command further strengthened its anti-smuggling operations against economic saboteurs through credible intelligence driven operations and continuous partnership with relevant agencies for effective port management”.

EXPORT 
Giving more highlights on the feats recorded by Apapa Command in trade facilitation, particularly exports, the CAC said :
“The sustained trade facilitation strategies put in place had positive impact on export trade through Apapa port.
In the year under review, the Command recorded a boom in exportation of non-oil commodities with about 110 percent increase in tonnage above the figure of 2020 fiscal year. Statistics from the export unit showed that goods with a total tonnage of five million, three hundred and eighty metric tons were exported in the year 2021, as against one million, three hundred metric tons exported in 2020. The Free on Board (FOB) value for the exported items also rose from $340 million in the year 2020 to $641 million US dollars in 2021. The naira equivalent of the exported goods stood at over N245 billion. Items exported include steel bars, agricultural and mineral products, among others.

“This achieved was made following government policy and export incentives occasioned by the Service facilitation and automation of NXP and CCI. It is instructive to note that these unprecedented feats were made possible because of our officers/men doggedness and tireless commitment to their duties.

“We have diligently strengthened our risk assessment capacity through forensic system audit, as well as dispute resolution procedures in accordance with World Customs Organisation (WCO) standard. Trade disputes were amicably
resolved in an atmosphere that promoted compliance with visible results in higher revenue, indicating lesser cost of doing business and seizures.

” The Command achieved a robust industrial harmony with all government agencies in Apapa port, especially our host the NPA, other sister agencies (the DSS, NAFDAC, NDLEA, SON), as well as shipping lines and terminal operators, whose tremendous contributions were acknowledged in the year under review.
We look forward to greater collaboration in 2022.”

He enthused :
“On this note, on behalf of the officers/men of Apapa Command, we extend our profound appreciation to CGC Hameed Ibrahim Ali and his management team for their continuous support and encouragement towards the realisation of these feats.

” I’m also using this medium to thank our valuable stakeholders most sincerely in the clearance value chain, government agencies operating in the port and the media for their unalloyed support. We will reiterate the need for cooperation, in order to move the Command and the Service to greater heights”.

OBSERVATION :
Our Correspondent observed that the press conference was a unique occasion, as the Port Manager, Lagos Port Complex Apapa, Mrs Olufunmilayo Olotu,
a top official of NDLEA, Mr. Bashir and the Director of DSS Apapa division attended the programme, even as they applauded Compt Malanta on outstanding performance in 2021.