As Exports and Anti Smuggling Activities Are Intensified

Customs Area Controller, CAC, Auwal Mohammed, Onne Customs Command

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Port Harcourt Area ll Command, Onne Port, has generated N115.26 billion between January and June 2022.

In a statement issued by the spokesperson for the command, Mrs Ifeoma Ojekwu, stated that the Customs Area Controller, CAC, Auwal Mohammed, disclosed that the figure showed a remarkable difference when compared with the  N78.17 billion collected in the first half of 2021 and N46.67 billion in the same period of 2020.

The 2022 half year collection shows a remarkable difference from the N78b collected in the first half of 2021 and N46.6b collected in same period of 2020. Further comparison indicates 147 percent increase above the 2020 collection and 47 percent increase above 2021 figure showing differences of N37,097,079,630.91 and N68,597,503,002.82 for 2021 and 2020 respectively.

Under Comptroller Auwal Mohammed, the Command’s revenue collection showed upward progression on monthly basis resulting in the cumulative differences recorded for the three years juxtaposed as the table below shows:

ANTI SMUGGLING/ENFORCEMENT

In the first half of 2022 , the Command made 28 seizures comprising of 9 containers valued at N531,386,166.78 (Duty Paid Value). This half year’s number of seizures is higher than 20 number made between January and June 2021.

Amongst the seized items were machetes brought into the country without end user certificate, military wears, vegetable oil, whisky,soap and used clothing. Other seizures recorded include used tyres, foreign parboiled rice, tomato paste,used vehicle parts and other items either classified as prohibited or for which duty payment were being evaded.

Exports
A total of 876,775.60Metric Tonnes with $495,384,221.99 free on board (FOB) value translang into N203,969,499,562.18 and Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS)value of N1, 075,060,914.52 were processed through the command in the period under review.

The above export figures are over a hundred and fifty (150) percent increase in value to that of first half 2021
The 2022 export statistics shows an improvement on the 2021 figures which is a fallout of CAC Auwal Mohammed trade facilitation strategies.

Comparatively, as at June 2021,the command had processed 331,356.40 metric tonnes with free on board (FOB) value of $141,422,075.87. The FOB value in naira was N58,229,125,518.73 with NESS value of N260,150,300.13
The CAC has brought to the knowledge of port users that there is a Domestic Export Warehouse (DEW) approved by fed govt at Onne. According to him the DEW provides further opportunities for exporters to process and package their exports including packaging while enjoying the seamlessness of export cargo warehouse in Onne directly to vessels.

He said due diligence by regulatory and government agencies functions, including Customs examination shall be conducted in the DEW facility. Comptroller Mohammed described the DEW facility as a one stop shop emplaced by the Federal Government to promote and encourage export trade which the command has aligned with ahead of it’s full take off.

Speaking on the achievements of the Command, Comptroller Auwal Mohammed said “This revenue, seizure and export figures coming at the end of first half of the year attest to a good outcome from our efforts”.

“While thanking my officers and men for sticking to the vision of the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd.) and implementing the Service mandate without compromise, I want to thank our compliant traders.
Like I have always said in our parades with officers and meetings with stakeholders, there are numerous advantages attached to being compliant”.

“It saves time, raises profit of traders by helping to prevent payment of demand notices and penalty payments by persons trying to cut corners and raises the integrity level of the port user in our profiling system for fast track plus other benefits”.

“Compliant traders are our partners in progress. In this Command, will continue to lawfully support them. It is also expedient to appreciate other agencies of government for their cooperation, intelligence sharing and camaraderie in implementing government policies to enhance national security and economic interests”.

“I want to urge all our officers to brace up to better performance in the second half of this year and together, let us achieve outstanding results in all our funcons. My optimism is high because even deployment of scanners to use, will improve on our efficiency” said.