Gentlemen and ladies of the press,
The year 2020 is surrounded with lots of challenges globally. Nigeria is not isolated from these challenges as critical sectors of the economy are adversely affected.
However, for us in the Nigeria Customs Service, and in particular, the Apapa Area Command we remain resolute at ensuring that we collect the much needed revenue for the Federal Government and also ensure the safety and well being of the citizenry through curtailing smuggling to its barest minimum while facilitating legitimate import and export trades.
Revenue: – At the height of these challenges, the Apapa Area Command was able to beat its records of the past two years i.e. 2018 and 2019 respectively by a huge margin. The break down of revenues collected is presented in the table As follows;
- While the Command collected 81.748 billion naira in the first quarter of 2018, in the corresponding period of 2019 the Command recorded an appreciable increase in revenue to 94.717 billion naira. Interestingly, in the first quarter of 2020 the Command collected a huge sum of 110.204 billion naira indicating an appreciable increase of over 15.4 billion naira when compared to the corresponding period of 2019. This huge increase in revenue collection was a product of so many factors including strict application of import guidelines, increased level of compliance by stakeholders and our openness to address all complaints from the part of importers promptly amongst other measures
- Accordingly, the CAC wish to use this medium to remind our esteemed stakeholders that in line with the Presidential directives, the Apapa Port remains open and our officers are on ground discharging their functions of collecting revenue and securing the nation sea ports against influx of prohibited goods. He further calls on importers to use this opportunity and evacuate their consignments before normal activities resumes.
- Anti-Smuggling: – Similarly, the Command has recorded an appreciable increase in its anti-smuggling drive leading to the seizure of 80 containers and 4 vehicles. All the seized items contravened some of the provisions of extant laws as enshrined in the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) CAP C45 LFN, 2004 as amended. The number of first quarter seizures in the Command almost equal the entire seizures of 2019 in terms of Duty Paid Value which stood at 12.5 billion naira.
- Items seized in the first quarter includes; Rice, Used Clothes, Unregistered Drugs and Vegetable oil. Other seized items include one exotic Rolls Royce car that was valued at over one hundred million naira. The Combined Duty Paid Value (DPV) of these items stood at about 12 billion naira.
- Export: – The Export Unit recorded another boost in the Command. From a total of 51,601 metric tonnes of export in first quarter of 2019, it increased to 183,578 metric tonnes in corresponding period of 2020. Furthermore, the Free on Board (FOB) value for the export in first quarter 2019 was five million, two hundred and two thousand five hundred and sixty-seven ($ 5,202,567.00) US Dollars which was equivalent to one billion, five hundred and ninety-one million, nine hundred and eighty-five thousand five hundred and two naira (#1,591,986,502.00), the value grew to seventy two million four hundred and forty two thousand, three hundred and ninety four ($72,442,394.00) US Dollars which is equivalent to twenty two billion, one hundred and sixty seven million, three hundred and seventy two thousand five hundred and sixty- four (# 22,167,372,564.00) naira only. This boost in exports was notable in Agriculture, Mineral Resources and Steel Bars among others.
- To this end, the CAC Comptroller Mohammed Abba-Kura wishes to once more reiterate the resolve of the Service and the Apapa Area Command in particular to serving our esteemed stakeholders by way of discharging our duties with utmost diligence while calling on other stakeholders in the clearance chain to play their respective roles to move this nation forward especially at this trying times. He prays that the world overcomes the problem of COVID-19 soonest.
Thank you all and God Bless!
NKEIRUKA NWALA
Deputy Superintendent of Customs Public Relations Officer
For; CAC Apapa Command