A top delegation of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) management led by Deputy Comptroller- General of Customs (DCG) Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection, Musa Tahir, was last week, on a one week inspection tour to various commands under the South-West Zone.
It was gathered that the four-man delegation comprising three Assistant Comptroller- General’s including Austin Warikoru, Shina Odunmaku, and Patient Iferi were on a working visit to appraise the revenue performance of major commands in the zone.
The delegation, SHIPS & PORTS DAILY learned, met with senior officers operating at the commands visited, which includes PTML, KLT, Apapa, Tin Can, Seme and the Federal Operations Unit Zone ‘A’.
One of the officers attached to the FOU Zone ‘A’ where the delegates visited on Friday and who pleaded anonymity, said the inspection tour was a routine visit not only to appraise performance, but to also admonish officers not to engage in unwholesome practices that could dent the image of the Service.
Also speaking with SHIPS & PORTS DAILY, Public Relations Officer of the Tin-Can Island Port Command, Chris Osunkwo confirmed that the visit of the NCS top brass was to encourage and gear officers of the command to improve on their revenue performance.
He said “They (the delegation) said we have done well, but our good is not enough. They applauded our performance, but requested that we do more and improve so that by the end of the year, we will have cause to celebrate that we have met our target.”
He said the command had in April generated N26.3billion as revenue; N26.5billion in May and N26.1billion in June while N23.6 billion was collected in July showing a shortfall of over N2 billion.
He attributed the shortfall in the revenue collected in July to the deplorable port access road which slowed done operation.
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