ZAINAB JUNAID
TinCan Island Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded the sum of #274. 321 billion revenue in the first six months of the fiscal year 2022. An increase of 27.50% from the last year’s collection of #229. 322 billion within the period under review.
The Customs Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Adekunle Oloyede, who disclosed this while reviewing the command’s performance in the first half year of 2022 at a press conference held with Maritime Journalists, said the implementation of VIN-Valuation service contributed greatly to this achievement.
He said, “The implementation of VIN-Valuation brought different challenges at early stages of its deployment due to the degree of understanding of the process especially on the part of the stakeholders, nevertheless the process has helped the command to achieve an expedited clearance process due to predictability of value- assessment, increase in revenue generation, improved ease of doing business among other advantages.”
Speaking on the export value facilitated by the command, Compt Oloyede said the command has recorded an outward throughput in export cargo of 138,246.50 metric tons in 6 Months representing an increase of 73% from 100,500 metric tons recorded in 2021.
According to him, “the Free On Board (FOB) value is #100. 447 billion. An increase of 60% from the #66. 295 billion recorded in the fiscal year 2021.
He added that the Duty Paid Value of total seizures that contravenes Sections 46, 47 and 161 of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap 45 LFN 2004, is amounted to #1. 3 billion.
However, during a tour to the command's Roll on Roll off (RoRo) scanning site, (a place where Vehicles are being scanned/screened) the TinCan Command Chief revealed that some culprits (clearing agents) have been arrested, bailed for human rights sake but will be prosecuted for forging his signature to clear some imported consignments.
His words, “Four units of used Mack truck heads, one unit of used Toyota Sequoia 2008 model, one unit of used Mercedes: Benz GL450 2008 model and one unit of used 2011 Toyota 4Runner were arrested in their possession.
“You know that the signature aspect of the clearance procedure has not been automated. Very soon, we will be automating that aspect too. It’s because the signature aspect of the clearance procedure has not been automated, these unscrupulous agents, four in numbers, attempted to clear some imported vehicles out of the port with my forged signature.”
He later commended the eagle-eyed customs officials for detecting and arresting the fraudsters and affirmed that the culprits will be punished by law.
