NCS Area 1 Commmand Port Harcourt records over N57bn revenue in six months
Barth Ndubuwah, Port Harcourt
Nigeria Customs Service,Area 1 Commmand, Port Harcourt said it has collected the sum of Fifty Seven billion, five hundred and five million, eight hundred and thirty four thousand,four hundred and twenty Naira, sixty eight Kobo (N57,405,834,420.68) revenue between January and July,2023. The Customs Area Comptroller (CAC) of the Command, Chedi Wada disclosed this Monday, while briefing the Press on the activities of his Command in Port Harcourt.
According to him, this represents N5,537,500,110.00 increase, amounting to 10.6 per cent growth from the 2022 revenue of N51,868,334,310.51.
The CAC said apart from April, 2023, when the maritime sector experienced global economic downturn, the Command’s target was surpassed in all other months within the period under review.
Wada specifically highlighted the month of March,where he said the sum of N11,675,918,637.99 was raked in as against N8,310,978,933.69 revenue of the same month in 2022.
The CAC said this would not have been possible without stakeholders’ engagement, especially on Non-conformity with Statutory Clearance Procedures, who he said were severally sensitised by his leadership,hence the feat.
“Despite some daunting challenges in the Maritime sector, the Command had been able to generate and collect the total sum of Fifty Seven Billion, Four Hundred and Five Million, Eight hundred and Thirty Four Thousand, Four hundred and Twenty Naira and Sixty Eight Kobo (N57,405,834,420.68) from January to July, 2023.
“When compared to the corresponding period of 2022, which stood at Fifty One Billion, Eight Hundred and Sixty Eight Million, Three hundred and Thirty Four Thousand, Three hundred and Ten Naira, and Fifty One Kobo (N51,868,334,310.51), the significant difference of Five Billion, Five Hundred and Thirty Seven Million, Five Hundred Thousand, One hundred and Ten Naira (N5,537,500,110.00) was realized. The difference in this figures represents a 10.6 per cent increase in the revenue figure,”the CAC said.
The CAC also said that his Command insisted that all unpaid assessments,must be paid,which beefed up the Command’s revenue.
Comptroller equally said that his Command got additional value through intervention of the sum of N988,127,504 from demand notices issued to importers with infractions on their importations.
Wada said to curb smuggling,his Command has placed more emphasis on 100 per cent physical examination of cargoes and based on that containers suspected to be involved in false declarations were detained for further investigations.
The CAC warned prospective smugglers to steer clear of Area 1 Commmand or risk being apprehended and prosecuted.
He used the opportunity to brief the Press on the Command’s recent visits to some outstations, comprising Bayelsa and Ahoada to appraise their operations. The visit,the CAC said was also extended to Heads of other Governnment Security Agencies.
According to him, the essence was to seek collaboration and synergy with them for better working relationships.
Wada thanked the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC),BA Adeniyi and his team for their support to his Command. The Comptroller also expressed appreciation to the stakeholders and the Press for their professional reportage within the period under review.
