The Apapa Area command of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it collected a total of N165.7 billion in the first half of 2017.
A statement by the Public Relations Officer of the command, Nkiru Nwala, a copy of which was made available to SHIPS & PORTS DAILY said the amount represents 49.06 per cent collection of target for the year 2017.
The statement noted that the amount is 44.7billion higher than the N120.9billion collected in the corresponding period of 2016 representing 27.01 percent growth over the previous year.
A breakdown of the monthly collection shows that N25.9billion was collected in January; N24.7billion in February; N26.7billion in March and N25billion in April.
Nwala said that in May and June, the command collected N33.6billion and 29.5billion in June respectively.
She said the feat was made possible through the exemplary leadership of the Controller of the command, Comptroller Musa Jubril who ensure all revenue leakages are blocked.
“In his bid to actualize one of the major reform agenda of the Comptroller General of Customs Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali Rtd, the Apapa Command has kept up her efforts in collecting maximum revenue. This is evident from the Command’s revenue profile for the first half of 2017.
“This was made possible through the exemplary leadership of the Customs Area Controller Comptroller Musa Jibrin who leaves no stone unturned at blocking revenue leakages in order to enhance collection of maximum revenue.
“To sustain this tempo, the CAC has called on all officers and men of the command to desist from all activities that could impede on the ease of doing business initiative of the Federal Government. He also enjoined all importers, agents and other stakeholders at the ports to ensure total compliance to all extant laws on cargo clearance procedures.
“Only recently in the month of May, 2017, the Command handed over to NAFDAC seven seized containers of drugs arrested over false declarations. During the handing over of the seized containers, Compt. Musa Jibril charged importers to improve their level of discipline and documentation because the consequence of false declarations is outright seizure and possible prosecution,” the statement said.
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