Charge Officers to brace up for Innovations

Comptroller Babatunde Olomu has taken over Controllership of the Apapa Customs Command as the new Customs Area Controller, CAC from  Comptroller Babajide Jaiyeoba who retires from the Service after thirty five years of meritorious service to fatherland.

Assuming leadership role of the Command, the new CAC, said “I see my task as CAC Apapa Command as a serious assignment from the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi,, MFR dsm psc (+) of which our only option is to deliver diligently not only in revenue collection, fight against smuggling, but in trade facilitation and sustainable stakeholder engagement”

“My assumption of this office is with a mind of confidence that we won’t betray the trust reposed in us by the FGN, the CGC and the entire management of the Nigeria Customs Service. This confidence is premised on the reality that I am taking over a very organized command, where I intend to build on the successes of my predecessor” Olomu said

He  stated u that the Apapa Command under his watch  shall implement all the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, the Common External Tariff, import and export prohibition guidelines and other books of instruction as directed by the Federal Government.

According to him “While promoting a robust customs community relation system where there will be regular interface with all government and private sector stakeholders, I shall upscale our enforcement with intelligence to ensure that only legitimate trade is allowed in Apapa Port and all the terminals within the command. Our tolerance level for smuggling of prohibited items, concealment and declaration for duty evasion shall be zero and shall remain so”.

“Our country holds a strategic position for trade in West and Central Africa and Apapa Port is critical in Nigeria’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). We are reving Nigeria’s readiness for improved trade with fellow African countries and the world at large”.

On what to expect under him, Compt Olomu declared “As you may be aware, the management of the Service is committed to evolving a more modern customs with Apapa Port being a nucleus to the implementation of the many trade facilitation reforms championed by the Comptroller-General of Customs”.

He tasked officers of the Command to brace up for the changes that will feature as fallouts of customs modernization, otherwise called e-customs, AEO, and many other groundbreaking World Customs Organization innovations like the recently introduced advanced ruling policy.

Hinting on his working principle as an officer, Compt Olomu said “As a working principle, I hereby advise all our officers to treat all official matters with the speed they deserve leaving no file unattended to as such delays could mean slowing down government revenue inflow”

“I shall emplace a trade dispute resolution seat that will operate every day including weekends to ensure that we make this command a true front liner in global best practices in terms of Customs operation for other customs formations to emulate”.

“The Apapa Command under my leadership won’t be complacent and will be open to continuous engagement with everyone”.

“My doors are open for advice on how best to achieve our mandate because we are all here to add value and do better for Nigeria: the Apapa Area Controller said.

He stressed, our various committee meetings, extra hours at work including getting officers to perform critical roles at weekends truly paid off because aside the target given to us by the headquarters, we raised the bar by increasing our drive for excellence at work with the aim of surpassing our target.

He recalled the selflessness and dedication put into work by all my officers including those in our strategic revenue committee and would like to specially thank all the members today.

He said this speech and time allotted for it won’t permit me to mention their names one by one. I dedicate our success to the CGC and all officers and men of this command. Indeed, you are dispensing flagship performance at the flagship command

According to him, between January and April 2024, the Apapa Command of NCS collected a total of N672,172,624,033.03 as revenue for the federal government. We have set the ball rolling for the actualization of our target and the officers I am leaving behind are focused on this. My optimism is not misplaced because we have all proven to be tested and trusted. It is noteworthy, to explain that in the month of April 2024 alone, the command generated N182b which is a record-breaking monthly collection in the history of the service.

On February 23, 2024, we recorded revenue collection milestone by generating N16,021,660,412.00. This daily collection strengthened our cumulative figure. These are laudable developments coming at a time the port is not enjoying its full import trade potentials owing to so many factors. I am happy the command is in safe hands that assure of surpassing all that were achieved under my watch.

I want to implore all our officers, sister government agencies and stakeholders to join me in formally welcoming Comptroller Olomu. Let’s triple or possibly, quadruple the cooperation and support I got for him. His success is our common benefit. For over three decades, I have known him to be a team player and result oriented officer.
Thank you and God bless.