Assures on Revenue and Trade

The Tin Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS welcomed the 20th (from 1977 to date) Comptroller of the Command today as the Customs Area Controller, CAC, of the Command, Comptroller Dera Nnadi assumed duty.

Addressing officers and stakeholders at the command, the CAC expressed his delight to be in their midst to serve the country and effect the mandate of the Service,

“It is always a pleasure to be in your midst to continue the reforms of the maritime industry from both my personal perspective and that of the Nigeria Customs Service. The dynamism of the industry requires that we join forces as stakeholders to provide solutions to our individual and collective needs. The next phase of this assignment starts this morning as we all commit to lead from the front” Compt Nnadi said

On what to expect and what he intends to do, Dera assured the three key performance indicators of revenue collection, anti smuggling, and service delivery, often referred to as facilitation of trade shall be vigorously pursued.

“These indicators will always remain relevant in our economic discourse until we attain full development as a nation. It is more so for Tincan Command, especially now. The Command revenue target of over 801 Billion Naira currently stands at 52 per cent, with barely three months to the end of the year 2023 meaning we must collect 48 per cent of the remaining revenue.  Coming at a time when the floating exchange rate is affecting importers and exporters, this is a big but achievable task”.

“Similarly, our roles in securing the nation are vast, ranging from interventions against economic saboteurs who distort and take advantage of the nations trade policy. These also include those that import illicit goods that contribute to the insecurity in the country” the Tin Can Controller said

Compt Dera Nnadi thanked the former Controller of the Command, Compt Kunle Oloyede for the seizure of two containers of tramadol even as he pledged to sustain the fight against importation of illicit and unapproved drugs through the Tin Can Command.

On his plans and strategies to reposition the command and facilitate trade at Tin Can, Compt said “Just two days ago the Customs Adminsitrations of Nigeria and Benin signed an agreement to develop frameworks for clearing of Nigeria bound goods in Benin Ports and vise visa  This is a call for us to improve our business process and increase our efficiency in service delivery in order to be competitive with other ports in the subregion”.

“To this end, I will particularly request the cooperation of shipping companies, terminal operators and Other Government Agencies in our efforts towards ensuring the actualisation of the rebranding of the Command”.

“In line with this, I will essentially request that we respect our various mandates. Those concerned with regulatory functions should stay away from interference in revenue related transactions except it is in their mandate to do so. Hopefully, this will improve service delivery in the Tincan Port”.

“The outgoing CAC made reference to “operating an open door policy”. I will open my doors for seamless trade, but I will also close the door against unwholesome activities that will compromise the Service mandates”.

“In my resolve to achieve the goals of the Command, we will not dwell on the usual blame of others for the various challenges bedevilling the maritime industry. No one person is responsible for the rot, but everyone should be ready to offer a solution” the Tin Can CAC declared.