Oyo Customs Generates ₦43.6bn Revenue, Seize 156 goods Worth ₦250.9m DPV in Seven Months

 Ag. CGC Visits Oyo/Osun Customs, Urges Officers to take Up Responsibilities of their Health Status

ZAINAB JUNAID

Ag. Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service(NCS), CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, has urged Officers of the Oyo/Osun Area Command  to take up responsibilities of their health and seek financial assistance when the need arises as their health comes first in anything they engaged in.

The CGC made this call on Monday, while addressing Customs Officers during his familiarization visit to the command, urging them to brace up on their health and sought for financial assistance whenever the need arises. 

He expressed dissatisfaction on the report received on lackadaisical attitudes of some officers towards their health status especially in area of seeking financial assistance and further advise them to adopt positive attitude regarding the issue.

Speaking on the weapons at the officers disposal, the CGC orders them to restrain from careless use of Guns but make it a last resort especially for self defence.

"Let us be cautious of the use of weapons at our disposal. We need to extremely restrain from the careless use of it. It should be for self defense on last resort. There is need to understand how to deploy new strategies to curb the myraids of crime. You should avoid using the weapons anyhow," he said.

CGC Adewale however commended newly promoted officers, charged them on continous diligent in the discharge of their duties and also enjoined other officers who are yet to sit for their promotion exams to brace up and take up responsibilities to fit in for the feat.

Meanwhile, Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Babajide Jaiyeoba, on his part, expressed delight over the Ag. CGC visit and regarded it as a significant occasion which symbolized unwavering support of the CGC for the command.

According to him,  "The CGC's visit to the Command was first of its kind in the last 15years. There is no record of any CGC' s visit in the last 15 years to the command. The Ag. CGC has laid a new benchmark for the entire command and we are ready to work diligently to support the principle of transparency, integrity and professionalism brought forward by the CGC".

Comptroller Jaiyeoba further declared the revenue generated by the command stating that it recorded Forty Three Billion, Five Hundred and Fifty Nine Million, Six Hundred and Sixty Six Thousand, Four Hundred and Thirty two Naira, Seventy Eight kobo (43,559,666,432.78k) between January and July 2023. A 14.7% short of revenue target in 2023 and an 18% increase from the revenue generated in the same period under review in 2022.

He attributed the 14.7% shortage in the 2023 first half year revenue target to change in fiscal policy, cashless policy of government which had negatively affected manufactuting companies and hitherto could not pawheny duties as at  due.

The Command also recorded 156 seizures of various goods worth Duty Paid Value (DPV) ₦250,934,959.00, between January and July 2023.

According to him, "the enforcement duties carried out by the Command to strategically curb all forms of smuggling activities that might arise from Nigerian border with Republic of Benin has led to the seizures of 156 various goods worth Duty Paid Value(DPV) of ₦250,934,959 between January and July.

Relationship with Border Communities

CAC Jaiyeoba said the command maintained a healthy relationship with host border communities especially with traditional rulers who partners with the command to fight the menace of smuggling by enlightening and discouraging their subjects engaging in smuggling activities. 

This partnership, he said has resulted in the donation of 4.338 acres of land around Sharki; 2.429 size of land at Idiakpa, Ishi Area of Oyo state and 4 acres of land at Odo water side. Also 4274.2sqm along Eruwa. "We are currently working on securing title document of the land and when we get it,  it will be used for schools and barracks," he disclosed.

Stressing the challenges encountered by the Command, Comptroller Jaiyeoba highlighted changing of operating environment, insufficient manpower, lack of adequate resources among others as shortcomings of the Area Command.

His words, "It is worthy to note that the challenges experienced by the area command towards performing its duties can be likened to- Changing of operating environment following the growth in international trade and travels; Increase in volume of trade and travels. This has actually reform the way people do their services/ businesses. We find it difficult to sepeare legitimate trade growth from illicit ones; Inadequate Operational vehicles; Insufficient manpower- we had to merge with the soldiers at the Nigetia Airport to carry out our duties due to lack of officers; We also experience lack of adequate resources."

Inspite of the shortcomings highlighted, the Command's Area Controller maintained that the Ag CGC's guidance, wealth of knowledge, strategic insight and vast experience will definitely serve as a guiding light and help the Command steer towards achieving its set goals of a full service delivery through facilitation of legitimate trade without compromising national security and revenue of the nation.

"Oyo/Osun area Command of the Service covers an expansive land area comprising 36 Local Government in Oyo State and 30 Local Government in Osun State and also border the Republic of Benin. It covers a landscape of 37,705 square km. It is imporrant to note that the command is both revenue and enforcement oriented. It collect revenue from excise factories through excise duties and import duties, compounded warehouses and terminals, and also parcel post with our area of responsibilities. There are 100 warehouses, 2 parcel posts at Ifeand Oshogbo," he added

Similarly, the Ag. Comptroller General of Customs also called for a strategic partnership between Customs and the Oyo state government in the fight against smuggling when he visited the Deputy Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency Adebayo Lawal.

He said, "It is important for us to call on the state government to partner with us in this fight against smuggling, particularly around the border areas.

"We believe that the time has come for us to work closely with each other, strengthen our partnership, and understand ourselves better so that we will know that we are working towards a shared goal of national development and security."

In response, the Deputy Governor urged officers to exercise discretion while chasing smugglers and pay more attention to criminals who import arms and ammunition. 

"More attention must be paid to criminals who import arms and ammunition. If you're able to catch criminals attempting to import arms and ammunition into the country for illegal purposes, that will save more lives", he said.

Similarly, to foster Customs Community relationship, the Ag. CGC visited the palace of His Royal Majesty, Oba Moshood Olalekan Balogun, the Olubadan of Ibadan, to pay homage and seek his continued support in the discharge of NCS mandates. 

Nigeria Customs to Revive Customs Consultation Forum

 ... to Launch Full Scale Authorised Economic Operator Programme

 ZAINAB JUNAID

In a bid to fill the vacuum created in the operations of the already established Fast Track 2.0 system which was launched by the Nigeria Customs Service six months ago, the service is set to launch a full scale authorised economic operator programme which will built on the foundation already established by the Fast Track system.

The Ag. CGC of the service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, said this while engaging stakeholders, Customs Officials and Journalists at Oyo Area Command of the Service on Monday stating that the efficiencies and missing gaps created in the operations of the Fast Track system have been studied, reviews and corrections have been made on it and the Service is set to launch the AEO.

CGC Adewale disclosed that steering committee that will midwive the beginning of the AEO has been setup, working groups that will be saddled with the responsibilities of the day to day running of the AEO will also be constituted soon.

According to him, "The Service has been assured of cooperation and support from the World Customs Organisation and international partners who are interested in facilitating trade in Nigeria. Electronic transmission of Customs Document has been backed by law. Manifest declaration, payments among other customs activities are now backed by the law."

He assured the stakeholders present at Oyo/Osun command that seperate mechanism has been created under new customs law which will act as a machinery for resolution of dispute.

In his words, "The new customs acts open up new initiatives that customs can drive to champion the course of trade facilitations. Under the new law, new mechanism has been opened for resolution of dispute of classifications, evaluation on HS issues that are related with customs procedures."

He enjoined the stakeholders to continue to cooperate with customs as this will make regulation of international trade to change for better in the days ahead.

The stakeholders(manufacturers)who were represented by Adegoke Joseph, Plant Manager, Nigeria Bottling Company; Isaac Isreal of SevenUp Bottling Company; Danjuma Donny Kelly of Nigerian Breweries and Edward Omojumi of BAT respectively, on their parts, commended the Ag CGC for his commitment towards achieving and enhancing Trade Facilitation in the country and promised a continuous collaboration with Nigerian Customs Service to collectively achieve this goal.

They expressed satisfaction with the existing collaboration and cooperation between them and the service especially in the payment and collection of the indirect tax levied on the production and consumption of their goods but also use the opportunity to relay the challenges they faced in the course of discharging their activities.

Omojuwon Edward of BAT stressed that Excise policy and the issue of illicit trade have been a major factor affecting the revenue of manufacturers in Nigeria and called on the Service to continue to deploy policy that will alleviate illicit trading which will inturn improve production activities of the manufacturers and revenue for both NCS and manufacturers respectively.

The CGC in his response to the afore shortcomings, reiterated that regular consultation and collaboration with manufacturers will be his cardinal objective in discharging his mandate and to also ensure stakeholders problems are being resolved amicably without delays.

To him, "We are committed to strengthening partnership with stakeholders as Excise traders are expected to be National heroes of our country. We are aware of the challenges and the circumstances at which they produce their products and still pay their excise duty despite difficulty faced. Partnership with them should be cherished. We must periodically open doors for consultations with them, get to understand their problems, which should be paramount to us. The totality at which they increase the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) inspired me to be more committed in strengthening partnership with them. We will continue to work with you as we make progress in our development and modernization in our achievements and make you part of our records. If your company folds up, its going to have adverse effect on excise duties and unemployment will hike in the society but if you succeed and have turnover in millions through multiplier effect, we will see your positive impact in area of employment and excise payment. So we will continue to partner with you to enhance your productivity and also improve trade in the economy."

However, in a related development, CGC Adewale noted that the Service's record of National Council Trade facilitation would be the anchor for advancing number of initiatives related to trade facilitation in the country as Customs Service is set to host the committee that is domiciled in the ministry of Industry Trade and Investment.

"We want to give the committee a new life. I have had engagement with Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, NACCIMA. We are going to host the next meeting with the committee and we are planning to host a retreat of all members of the committee along with customs. This is to know vital things that can be deployed to facilitate trade better than its being done before.

"Seconodly we want to resuscitate customs consultation committee, a platform where stakeholders, private sectors and customs will come together to discuss ailing issues. This used to exists 15-20 years ago. Where i was part of those who initiated it back then but successive heads of customs have not paid desired attention to the existence and the workings of this committees. We have met and planned to resuscitate this forum, so that we can periodically interact to find solutions to pending issues," he maintained.