Apapa Customs makes impressive performance, hits N104.3bn export
* Collects N518bn revenue despite COVID-19
(Written by Silas Onuoha):
The CAC :
The Apapa Command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has made impressive performance in its operations in 2020 fiscal year.
The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of the Command, Comptroller Mohammed Abba-Kura disclosed that the Command recorded over N104.3 billion on export trade in 2020.
Addressing Journalists during a press conference at Apapa, he said, “The Command witnessed a boost in export trade, rising from 262,095 metric tons in 2019, to 1,311,365 metric tons in 2020, with Free on Board (FOB) value increasing from $132,760,512.94 million to $340,884,102.99 million within the period under review.”
He analysed, “The Naira equivalent of the exported items is estimated at N104, 310,535,514.00 billion, at 306 per US Dollar. Exported items include steel bars, agricultural and mineral products, among others.”
Similarly, Apapa Command under the watch of Comptroller Abba-Kura, recorded great feat in revenue collection, with a huge sum of over N518billion generated in 2020.
His words, “The amount generated shows an increase of 22.3 percent, when compared to N423.6billionn generated the previous year.
“It is instructive to note that these unprecedented achievements were made possible, as a result of our officers’ doggedness and tireless commitment to their duties, despite the COVID-19 pandemic ravaging economies all over the world.
“As we look forward to a prosperous and glorious year ahead, the Command has taken bold initiatives to ensure the collection of appropriate revenue, by creating an enabling environment for legitimate businesses to thrive”
He emphasised, “On anti-smuggling, the Command seized 133 containers of pharmaceutical products, tramadol tablets, 58 containers of foreign rice, 30 containers of vegetable oil, 31 containers of used clothes and shoes; as well as 13 containers of used tyres, among other items.”
He asserted, “We discovered that most importers of these pharmaceutical items always want to evade inspection by NAFDAC, or other health agencies,
So, they falsely declared the contents of their cargoes. But our officers caught them in the act and subsequently impounded the containers of pharmaceutical products.
“Upon examination, we found out that these pharmaceutical products don’t have manufactured and expiring dates. Some are not even certified by NAFDAC, which is the reason the importers falsely declared them.
“In all, the Command made seizures of 318 cargoes with Duty Paid Value (DPV), of over N21.1billion from January to December of 2020, which is more than 112 seizures with DPV of N12.5billion recorded the same period in 2019.”
Speaking further, the CAC appreciated the Comptroller-General of Customs- CGC Hameed Ali, the stakeholders in the clearance value chain, relevant government agencies and the media for their support, even as he reiterates the need for more cooperation, in order to move the Service forward.
