COMMAND STARTS RECEIVING DIRECT VESSELS
The Kirikiri Lighter Terminal Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) generated N44.36 billion as revenue in 2022.
The revenue represents a 21 per cent increase when compared to the N36.69 billion generated in 2021.
The outgoing Customs Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Hammi Swomen disclosed this at his valedictory press briefing on Thursday, 19th January 2023, at the command.
Swomen, who is a member of the newly constituted management of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has been elevated to the position of Acting Assistant Comptroller General of Excise, Free Trade Zone & Industrial Incentives.
Swomen said not minding the inhibiting factors which include traffic congestion, dilapidated roads and ongoing road construction on the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway, the area command was still able to collect the sum of N44.36 billion in revenue in 2022.
According to him, in the year under review, the Area Command also seized 32 containers as part of its anti-smuggling activities. Twenty-nine of the containers are 40ft while three are 20ft containers. The containers contained assorted items with a total duty-paid value of N737, 578,939.
He highlighted other achievements of the command in the year 2022 to include an increase in the number of terminals by three, i.e Bestaf, Tenzik and Sundial Terminals for imports and exports; the command received a direct vessel after a very long time.
Others are the establishment of a Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC)/One Stop Shop for the command comprising strategic units to address issues whenever they arise; a Harmonious working relationship between the command and other government/security agencies and stakeholders.
Also, the establishment of a staff clinic named after the Comptroller General, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (rtd) for the command and the host community was commissioned by the Zonal Coordinator, ACG A.M Aremu, shortly before the press briefing.
ACG Aremu seized the opportunity to commend ACG Swomen for doing a very good job as the Area Controller and charged other controllers in the zone to borrow a leaf from Women and ensure that they leave their various area commands better than they met them.
At the commissioning of the Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) Staff Clinic, Swomen said he was deeply honoured to welcome the Zonal Coordinator, Zone A, ACG A.M Aremu to the command.
Swomen said the KLT Command is unique among the maritime Commands in Lagos as the only off-Dock Command, which implies that the Command is dependent on its sister Commands – Apapa, Tin Can Island Port (TCIP) and Port and Terminal Multi-services Limited (PTML) for transfers of containers.
He seized the opportunity to thank the Area Controllers of the above-mentioned commands as well as all the critical stakeholders in the command for their support and contributions.
Swomen said all he was able to achieve during his tenure as Area Controller would have been impossible without their support.
He also thanked the Traffic Manager, Nigeria Ports Authority and other government and security agencies for their cooperation and the harmonious working relationship he enjoyed working with them.
Swomen said that the vision for setting up the clinic was in line with the CGC’s innovation for the medical welfare of officers and men of the service as well as other stakeholders.
He expressed the hope that the clinic will help to boost the morale of the officers and men as they continue to deliver on their mandate of revenue collection, anti-smuggling and trade facilitation.