The Tin can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it collected the sum of N25.7 billion in the month of November, 2016.
Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Bashar Yusuf disclosed this during a meeting with some stakeholders in his office in Lagos.
He said that in view of the current exigencies which according to him had placed more responsibility on the Service, the command would continue to explore all avenues for maximum revenue collection.
He recalled a recent seizure at the premises of SDV/SCOA where he had gone to handover a 1 x 20ft container of “Ready to eat food” preparations such as – Egusi Soup, Jollof Rice, Ogbono, Yam Porridge among others to the National Agency for Food, Drug, Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
He described the scenario as an aberration considering the fact that the federal government granted zero duty for the importation of machinery for the packaging of agricultural products into the country, and wondered why an indigenous menu would be imported into the country at a time when investors were much sought for to boast local Industries.
He thereby charged would be investors to look at the export potentials which abound in the country and take advantage of same for their socio-economic benefits.
In another development, while briefing a group of senior officers undergoing training programme in the command, Bashar admonished them to see professionalism, integrity and transparency as their watchword, while also ensuring effective leadership and supervision in their areas of official duty.
He stated that the various trade facilitation tools as provided in the automation of Customs procedures would guide them in the discharge of their functions and charged them to see training and re-training as a veritable tool that would sharpen their reflexes towards achieving desired results.
“In this era and dispensation, officers are expected to be above board with a deep sense of commitment and responsibility in the discharge of their functions”, he said.
He expressed appreciation to the Comptroller General for effectively re-positioning the Service saying that despite the global recession, the Service is still working tirelessly to remain on top of their statutory mandate noting that it could not have been possible if not for the pragmatic leadership of the CG and his management.
He added that the change ideology of the Comptroller General must be given priority attention and warned that failure to key into the new order would be seriously sanctioned.
Copyright Ships & Ports Ltd. Permission to use quotations from this article is granted subject to appropriate credit given to www.shipsandports.com.ng as the source.