Giant strides : Apapa Customs boss, Malant Ibrahim Yusuf gets new name KOREDE

Giant strides :
Apapa Customs boss, Malant Ibrahim Yusuf gets new name KOREDE

* Gets 4 new Comptrollers

The Apapa Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), was the flurry of activities yesterday, as the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Compt Malant Ibrahim Yusuf presented over N1 trillion revenue score card realised in 2022 fiscal year,  during a press conference.

The unprecedented revenue record and huge export trade of over N28.2billion announced by Compt Malanta received the loudest applause by stakeholders, government agencies and newsmen, who graced the occasion.

While some stakeholders openly commended Compt Malanta and his officers for making the entire nation proud, others described the CAC as honest, diligent and uncompromising.

The high point of the occasion was the goodwill message delivered by the Manager of Lagos Port Complex Apapa, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Olotu.

Olotu began her speech by giving Compt Malanta a new name KOREDE – meaning wealth and good tidings.

The port manager, who was highly impressed and overly excited by the exceptional performance of Apapa Command also commended Compt Malanta for promoting a cordial working synergy among other stakeholders, as well as security agencies within Apapa port corridor.

Her words : “I want to give you a new name. As from today, your name is KOREDE. This means your name brings wealth and good tidings to the Nigerian nation.

“It is to your credit that Apapa Command achieved over N1 trillion collection for the Federal Government. It is also to your credit that Apapa Command gets four newly promoted Comptrollers.”

The port manager went on : “Apapa Command under the leadership of Compt Malanta KOREDE has recorded spectacular achievements.

“Today, Apapa port corridor is where you can see inter-agency collaboration at it best. Often, we meet within a very short notice to address issues and compare notes. And the impact is felt not only in Apapa, but the entire port industry”.

Thus, the programme, which began with a press conference culminated in decoration of newly promoted Officers, even as certificates of commendation were presented to compliant traders in the Premier port.

More so, aside N1 trillion revenue collection, the Command recorded seizures of 157 containers with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N14.4billion, as against 102 containers with DPV of N31.8billion seized in 2021.”

The CAC attributed the feats recorded by Apapa Command to the resilience of men and officers in blocking revenue leakages and ensuring that all unpaid declarations and unutilised PAAR had been traced and accounted to the coffers of Federal Government.

His assertions : “Year 2022 was characterised with several challenges in the economic trade supply chain. However, the Command was able to make some laudable achievements using technology-driven initiatives to maximise our revenue collection, enforcement of anti-smuggling operations, export promotion and synergy with our noble stakeholders in the industry.

“The central concern of this administration is to deploy technology to automate our processes and procedures, to maintain a feat between trade facilitation, revenue generation and security of the nation.

“As a lead agency in trade facilitation, we constantly reinvent our strategy and share our vision with other agencies in the port, through connectivity and joint one-stop boarding of vessels, as well as
examination of cargo.”

He enthused : “We have indeed made Apapa Command a model port, which attracted commendation of the Secretary General of African Continental Free Trade Agreement, His Excellency, Wamkele Mene, during his visit to the Command in
June 2022.

” As part of the Command’s trade facilitation initiative, officers have been selected, trained and dedicated to address complaints through dispute resolution, to ensure that transactions within our systems are monitored witt precision and control. We will continue to improve on our effort to achieve excellence in service delivery”.

He informed :  “The Command has promoted a culture of regular stakeholders’ engagement with bonded terminal operators, importers, exporters, freight forwarders, licensed Customs agents, shipping companies and others.

“The need for compliance has always been the thrust of our meetings. We continue to sensitize them on the need to comply with extant trade guidelines for faster and cheaper clearance of cargo and to avoid losing their investment and possible prosecution”.

He emphasised ;  “Like we envisaged last year 2022, I want to assure the Comptroller-General of Customs, CGC Hameed Ibrahim Ali, CFR, and the management that Apapa Command would surpass 2023 collections, In-sha- Allah. All these achievements were made possible with infrastructure, support and encouragement we enjoyed from the management team. We thank the CGC for his support.