Maritime

Customs Generates N493.75bn from TinCan Island Port

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), TinCan Island Ports (TCIP) command, said it generated N493,754,017,176.81 in 2021.

The Area Controller, TCIP Command, Comptroller Abdullahi Musa, made this known in a statement signed by Mr Uche Ejesieme, Public Relations Officer of the command in Lagos on Tuesday.

According to the controller, the command’s revenue for 2021 exceeded the 2021 Federal Government target of N350, 064, 600,000 by N143billion, which amounts to 41.05 per cent.

“This figure also indicates an improvement in revenue by N107,991,549,315.00, which is 28 per cent from N385,762,467,861.35 revenue generated in 2020,” he said.

Musa said in the area of trade facilitation, a new terminal, Classic III Bonded Terminal, was opened under Tincan Island Command improving the cargo and revenue collection of the Command.

“In the year under review, a total of 30,441 containers were transferred under the fast track, 58, 234 containers and vehicles were approved for transit from the Mother Port to Bonded Terminals.

“With the successful implementation of a Standard Operational Procedure on barge movement, 36,496 containers were transported from TCIP Command through the waterways by barge to bonded terminals and Free Trade Zone,” he said.

He said the compliance monitoring activities showed that compliance levels improved significantly, that out of 166,903 Single Good Declaration (SGDs) registered in 2021; there were 2,484 (1.5 per cent) interventions.

He noted that this showed an enhanced compliance rating of about 63.4 per cent and an improvement from the 2019 compliance rating of 15,295 (9.4 per cent) out of 162,110 SGDs registered.

The comptroller said in the area of enforcement/anti-smuggling, the command, in collaboration with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), made a seizure of cocaine with a net weight of 43.110kg.

“The cocaine was concealed in 40 bags of raw sugar packaged in bulk aboard the vessel MV SPAR SCORPIO.

“Twenty suspects and the vessel were detained in connection with the seizure; however, the command was directed to hand over the case file, vessel, and suspects to NDLEA according to Standard Operational Procedures.

“Seizure was also made of two automatic rifles with 164 rounds of live ammunition which were intercepted in a 1x40ft container MEDU 49022/5. They have since been handed over to the Department of State Service.

“Additionally, a total of 151 containers made of 149 (40ft), 2 (20ft), and 9 uncontainerised cargo were intercepted and seized by the enforcement team with a total Duty Payable Value (DPV) of N607,348,617.00,” he said.

Musa said a total tonnage of goods exported through Tincan Island Port for the year under review was 1,725,987.02 metric tonnes with a total value of N141, 985, 109,159.

He hoped that efforts to mitigate challenges in the port be sustained to create a more user-friendly seaport that matched international standards and enabled the facilitation of legitimate trade.

Musa added that the lack of government warehouses and lethargy in the application of extant customs laws guiding the treatment of overtime cargo by the terminal operators remained an area that needed dedicated attention.

“With the approval and implementation of the e-Customs project and its content of digitisation of all customs processes and procedures, our projection in 2022 will include improved performance.

“This is in the areas of revenue collection, facilitation of legitimate trade, enhancing the capacity and skills of officers and men of the Command.

“We will continue to work in line with the CGC’s agenda to reform, restructure and increase revenue collection,” he said.

He appreciated the Comptroller-General of Customs, retired Col. Hameed Ali, and his team for providing effective leadership and an enabling environment with the necessary operational tools for service delivery.

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