Increase in revenue collection achieved through training and retraining of personnel in areas of Information Communication Technology for customs operation was the reason for improved revenue collection at Tin Can Island Port Command of Customs.
The command according to a recent press statement generated 262.3 billion between January and November 2017. This figure outweighs the 233.5 billion generated in the corresponding period of 2016 by over N28b.
Customs Area Controller of the command, Yusuf Bashar, while receiving a delegation of Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) Post Mortem Sub-Committee in his office.
The Delegation comprising very Senior Government Officials from Key revenue generating ministries and agencies was led by its chairman Mr. Dr. Casmir Anyanwu.
In his address, the chairman pointed out that the primary objective of the committee is to examine across board into the Federation Account, in which case the account that services the three tiers of government with a view to ensuring that all accruable revenue to the Federal Government coffers are duly accounted for
Anyanwu stated that the committee, as part of it’s oversight function, had the mandate of the Comptroller-General of Customs Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) to visit Customs Commands, to ascertain their strength, weaknesses and challenges with a view to appropriately advising the Federal Government on their findings. The chairman described Tincan Port as a major gate way to the Resources of the Country and therefore very Key to the Nigerian Project.
In his address of welcome, the Customs Area Controller expressed appreciation with the visit and stated that the timing was apt considering the fact that the Country is gradually sliding out of recession and the need to sustain the tempo.
According to a press statement by the command spokesman, Uche Ejesieme, Bashar shared ideas with Anyanwu while explaining the Tin Can customs journey into ensuring compliance to rules by importers , agents and other stakeholders in the port.
Ejesieme statement quoted Bashar as stating ”emphatically that the Command has made significant and steady progress in the areas of its core functions in the past eighteen (18) months.
”Taking the Committee down history lane, he informed them of the various reforms he instituted shortly after assumption of duty, which included but not limited to the construction of a training facility with thirty (30) workstations to take care of the training needs of not just the officers but also other critical stakeholders. He pointed out that the Command have started reaping the benefits of such training in terms of the volume of Revenue generated over the period and level of compliance by traders with regards to the fiscal policies. “we recorded remarkable seizures of cocaine with a street value of over 2billion according to report from NDLEA”
He added that some stolen exotic Sports Utility Vehicle (SUV) were handed over to Interpol Nigeria for onward repatriation to United States seizure of catche of arms (pump action riffles totaling 2,010 which eventually necessitated the recent visit of Mr. President to Turkey with other top government officials to see ways of curbing the menace”.
While exchanging opinions on what the Government can do to enhance the efficiency of the Command in Revenue Generation, the Controller opined that infrastructural upgrade (Road Networks to the Port) scanners and other equipment will surely enhance the output of the Service.
The Controller assured the committee that the Command will not lower it’s guards in all aspects of her statutory functions and promised to raise the standards of operation through renewed enthusiasm and deeper commitment from the officers/men of the Command.
The chairman and members of the delegation expressed delight at the achievements of the Command in the past eighteen (18) months, having gone through the financial records particularly in the areas of consistent progress in Revenue Generation, capacity building for officers/men of the Command as well as Remarkable seizures, and urged the Controller to remain focused as ever.
Meanwhile , Assistant Controller General of Customs and Zonal Coordinator in charge of Zone A in Lagos, Aminu Dahiru, has described the command as a role model and good example of what a customs formation should be.
Dahiru said this during his visit to the command as part of his tour of all customs formations in the South West.
He described the Bashar as an ICT compliant officer who is not just an officer but also a teacher imparting on his surbodinates on international
