Comptroller Dera Nnadi on Thursday took over the reigns of leadership at the Tin-Can Island Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), with a pledge to raise the command’s revenue collection from the current 52 per cent to 100 per cent by December.
While taking over the affairs of the command from the outgoing Customs Area Controller, Adekunle Oloyede, who has been redeployed to the Customs headquarters as the Comptroller in charge of Import and Export; Nnadi, solicited the support and collaboration of stakeholders to enable the command meet its N801 billion revenue target for 2023.
“With barely three months to the end of the year and the challenge posed by the floating of the exchange rate, the task ahead is daunting but I hope to surmount it with the support and cooperation of stakeholders. For us as a command, it is a daunting task but it is surmountable. You are all aware that Nigeria Customs Service has three key performance indicators – revenue, anti-smuggling and trade facilitation.
“These three serve as yardsticks for measuring our performance. These indicators will always remain relevant in our discussion until we attain full development as a nation.
“The command’s revenue target of over N801 billion currently stands at 52 per cent with barely three months to the end of the year. It means that all of us here owe the country the responsibility to collect the balance of 48 per cent. This is especially at a time when the floating exchange rate is affecting importers and indirectly affecting clearing agents. This is a big but achievable task,” he said.
He noted that the role of Nigeria Customs Service in securing the nation is vast, and includes intervention against economic saboteurs, who disrupt and take advantage of the nation’s trade policy.
“This also includes those who contribute to the insecurity of the country through the importation of illicit goods,” he said.
Comptroller Nnadi, while affirming his resolve to rebrand the command, however, warned that he would not tolerate undue interference in trade matters.
He urged all stakeholders, including clearing agents and terminal operators to respect the mandate of the NCS.
“Everybody here, freight forwarders, terminal operators and shipping companies and other government agencies have their various mandates. We will not tolerate undue interference with any other person’s privacy. Incursions by other people in trade matters have to stop. If we agree to equity, we must come with clean hands,” he said.
The new Tin-Can Command CAC promised to run an open-door policy to legitimate traders but shut his doors against fraudulent importers.
Earlier, outgoing Controller Oloyede urged officers and stakeholders including sister agencies to extend the same support and collaboration given to him to his successor, whom he described as a trade facilitator.
Until his appointment as the CAC of the Tin-Can Island Port Command, Comptroller Nnadi was in charge of the Seme Area Command.
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