“We pledge to devote our time,  energy and resources, to deliver quality services”-Dera

The Customs Area Controller, CAC, of the Tin Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, may have chosen not to join issues with those hallucinating and uttering statements in breach of established protocol and public decorum.

As a grounded, focused officer, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, mni, has been through trainings /courses as an officer of the Service; the experience he has amassed positions him solidly to deal with and handle very professionally, all operational issues arising from engagement with stakeholders as officers and men of the Service carry out their duties.

The Customs Controller General, CGC, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, must have a deeper knowledge and understanding of the Dera’s personality/capabilities before assigning him to head the Tin Can Command; thus, all matters arising are within the full grasp of the CGC, the CAC and open to compliant traders who transact their businesses through the front door.

In appreciation of stakeholders doing their business at the Command and in order to encourage and assist them to succeed, Compt. Dera Nnadi declared 2024  “Year of the Stakeholders”

“We have decided that 2024 is going to be the year of stakeholders in Tin can Island Port Command. We pledge to devote our time, resources, human capacity to serve them and deliver quality service to them.

“Let me state that in doing that,  we will encourage those who are already compliant to do more, we will encourage those who are not compliant but are willing to change to do more. But we will not hesitate to deal decisively with those who are not compliant and are not willing to change.”

This attitudinal change is the crux of the matter. The CAC, in walking the talk and matching words with action may have become too ruthless for some traders who delight in cutting corners.

“We will not hesitate to deal decisively with those who are not compliant and are not willing to change.” The CAC had emphasized.

It is clearly a case of shape up or ship out at the Command under the watch of Controller Dera Nnadi, min.

Speaking on what the Command is doing, the CAC told the media “We have opened up our system electronically to other agencies like SON, NAFDAC, Nigeria Copyright Commission, NESREA, NDLEA and others. W consider the freight forwarders as our very critical stakeholders and we relate with them efficiently. We intend to do more by introducing a reward system that will make sure that any agent who  is very compliant, gets expedited action in clearance of his cargo, anytime”

“At the national level, the CGC has launched the Authorized Economic Operator, AEO programme, to reward compliant traders. At Tin, we want to further entrench what we started in 2023 by starting twenty-four hours operations, including weekends.

“In the past, we blame our stakeholders for every infraction in the system. Henceforth, I have told my officers  that I will no longer be blaming just the stakeholders. For every declaration made by stakeholder, released by an officer, but intercepted, that officer will have to answer for it at the Enforcement. So, we are going to give a window to allow the stakeholders to breathe.”

Revenue

In 2023, the Command collected a total of over N716.4billion. With a revenue target of close to N2trillion set for the Command by the CGC, (one trillion, one hundred and thirty billion, seven hundred and sixty eight million, fifty one thousand, eight hundred and eighty one naira, twenty nine Kobo), to be precise, stakeholders should understand the pressure, the work load and expectations by the NCS management from the Command.

What the CAC needs at this time is maximum cooperation, support, collaboration and understanding towards achieving set national targets.

Exports

In one of his media briefings, Comptroller Dera disclosed that the command handled a total of 623,694.7   (six hundred and twenty three thousand, six hundred and ninety four point seven metric tons) of export last year, which translate to an 85% increase in the tonnage handled by the command in the year 2022.

“As you may all know, Comptroller General of Customs and indeed the nation is desirous to see that export of goods and services from Nigeria should be encouraged above imports. This is because considering the current exchange rate, the scarcity of Dollars vis-a-vis Naira, we cannot shy away from the fact that the survival of the economy of this nation rests squarely on our ability to encourage exports in order to earn scarce foreign exchange”, the CAC said.

Anti-Smuggling

In reviewing operational activities of the Command,  Comptroller Nnadi put the Duty Paid Value (DPV) of items seized by the command last year at three billion, eight hundred and ninety one million naira.

His words “I must commend the DC Enforcement and his team for this. One other significant thing about our seizures is that most of them were mainly psychotropic substances that would have harmed the youths of this nation and that would have aided the insecurity in the country.

With commitments made by the CGC on officers’ welfare, capacity building and improved incentives, the need to deliver on assignments is therefore understandably very high.

Controller Dera nnadi, mni, on whose shoulders the task and burden of meeting expectations lies, couple with his zeal, passion and patriotic enthusiasm, is a man who could easily be misunderstood in the course of his duties at this time.

Maritime Nigeria recalls that Comptroller Nnadi disclosed that for the first two months and fourteen days of March 2024, the command collected the sum of N240.3billion (two hundred and forty billion, three hundred and two million naira) as revenue to the federal government even as he recalled that the command’s monthly revenue target was N94billion.

“What this means is that we have been able to surpass our expected revenue target of one hundred and eighty eight billion naira for January and February, 2024.

“I wish to congratulate all our stakeholders who have been responsible for the payment of this duty but most importantly, I thank officers of the Nigeria Customs Service and all our esteemed stakeholders which includes you, members of the press for helping us to sustain some of these achievements”. The CAC said.

Also, recent anti-smuggling drive at Tin Can led to the seizure of one 20P 9964 Rifle; another 20P 9964 Rifle; one Pump Action Rifle; one Practical Tactical 30H 80019922 Rifle; another 20P 992 Rifle; two AV Pump Action Rifle; and yet another P10115 Rifle. In total, we seized 11 Rifles and six Pistols from different containers imported into the country at different times.”

According to the CAC, several kilograms of Cannabis Indica were also seized. “The latest seizure that we have is twenty three (23) packages containing twenty three (23) kilograms of Heroin concealed in a container, the identity of which we are still keeping secret because investigation is still ongoing” Compt Dera said.

From all indications, the Tin Can Command CAC is commitment to making 2024 “Year of the Stakeholders” at Tin can. This mission and objective can neither be a walk in the part nor a tea party.

Compt. Dera Nnadi was very explicit when he said “We will encourage those who are already compliant to do more, we will encourage those who are not compliant but are willing to change to do more but we will not hesitate to deal decisively with those who are not compliant and are not willing to change.”

Clearly, the CAC is on course in delivering to stakeholders at Tin can.  We urge him to stay focused and avoid distractions.