Comptroller Dera Nnadi takes over command at TinCan Port

Dera Nnadi said: “I will open my doors for seamless trade, but I will also close the door against unwholesome activities that will compromise the Service mandates.”

By Uzor Odigbo

The Customs Area Controller of the Tincan Island Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, has resolved to scale to greater heights in revenue drive and in mitigating smugglers activities at the command.

The new Tin Can port helmsman who was described by his predecessor as an astute trade facilitator, was the Customs Area Controller at Seme Border Command. He described his posting as homecoming having served as the Deputy Comptroller in charge of enforcement in the past.

Dera, in his address, stated that the command under him would not dwell on the usual blame-game syndrome for challenges millitating the sector. “One person is not responsible for the rot, but everyone should be ready to offer a solution,” he said.

“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.”

The assertive Comptroller Dera reiterated that the command’s revenue target of over N801 billion currently stands at 52 per cent, with barely three months to the end of the year 2023, assuring that the command must work harder to collect the remaining 48 per cent of the remaining revenue before the year runs out.

Insisting that coming at a time, when the floating exchange rate was affecting importers and exporters, “This is a big but achievable task.”

CAC Nnadi also touched on the recent talks between the Nigeria Customs Service and that of the Republic of Benin and said that ”just two days ago the Customs Administrations of Nigeria and Benin signed an agreement to develop frameworks for clearing of Nigeria-bound goods in Benin Ports and vice versa. This is a call for us to improve our business process and increase our service delivery efficiency to be competitive with other ports in the subregion”.

Nnadi heartily stated the unalloyed support and roles that Journalists have played in assisting his career grow and pledged to reciprocate the gesture.

The CAC commented on the need for Nigerians as a nation to take advantage of the over 350 million population of people along the major parts of West Africa by getting their acts right and promoting regional trade.

He said Customs’ roles in securing the nation were vast, ranging from interventions against economic saboteurs who distort and take advantage of the nation’s trade policy, to those that import illicit goods that contribute to the insecurity in the country.

Extolling his predecessor’s virtues, Nnadi said: “I want to commend the outgoing controller, Comptroller Oloyede and officers of the command for the recent seizure of two containers of tramadol. We will sustain the fight against the importation of illicit and unapproved drugs.

“Distinguished audience, just two days ago, the Customs Administrations of Nigeria and Benin signed an agreement to develop frameworks for clearing of Nigeria bound goods in Benin Ports and vice versa. This is a call for us to improve our business process and increase our service delivery efficiency to be competitive with other ports in the sub-region.

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

Referencing his predecessor who said that he operated an open door policy, Dera countered, stating, “I will open my doors for seamless trade, but I will also close the door against unwholesome activities that will compromise the Service mandates.

“Let me at this juncture state that in my resolve to achieve the goals of the Command, we will not dwell on the usual blame of others for the various challenges bedeviling the maritime industry. No one person is responsible for the rot, but everyone should be ready to offer a solution.”

Earlier in his remarks, the former Controller, Comptroller Adekunle Oloyede urged officers and stakeholders including sister agencies to re-ignite the same support and synergy given to him to the new Controller whom he described as a trade facilitator to enable him to succeed and achieve the command’s revenue target

While urging clearing agents to improve on their level of compliance, Oloyede urged them to also extend intelligence shared with the command in its anti-smuggling operation that led to the seizure of two containers of tramadol to the new Controller.

”I know we are already in the ember months, so the incoming controller will need your support to be able to meet the revenue target and I know he is going to break my records. I also promise to give my support as Controller in charge of import and export and ensure that by God’s grace, he succeeds,” he concluded.