Apapa Customs Targets Higher Revenue Generation without Over-taxing Importers, Says New Controller
YUSUF MALANTA, APAPA CAC
By Francis Ugwoke
The Apapa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Monday said it is optimistic of collecting higher revenue on import duties this year and subsequently more than had been achieved in the past.
Comptroller of the Command, Mr Yusuf Malanta said he intends to achieve this without over-taxing or over-charging importers, explaining that all he wants was a clean and honest declaration from importers and their customs agents.
Malanta who was posted to the Command recently advised importers who have been used to fraudulent practices to be ready to change, warning that it would not be business as usual.
Speaking to the executive members of the League of Maritime Editors and Publishers in his office, the Comptroller explained that all he demands from the importers and their agents was clean declarations.
“I want to ensure that revenue here will be more than what has been achieved before. But I will not collect more than what it should be. All I ask is true declaration of what is in the container”, he said.
He said that he has already called stakeholders meeting involving importers, shipping companies and customs agents during which he made it very clear on the need for cargo owners and their agents to be honest in their declarations.
Responding to the question of multiple alerts being complained about by importers and their agents, Malanta said honest importers who have obeyed trade regulations and made correct declarations have nothing to fear as far as alerts were concerned.
“If you are clean, you don’t fear alerts, but if you fear alerts, it means you have something you have done wrong”, he said.
However, he said that Apapa Command does not have issues of multiple alerts.
He disclosed that the Command has been able to create Error Resolution Seat where all complaints by importers are being addressed.
According to him, the Error Resolution Unit was a one-stop-shop where agents who have issues are attended to.
He explained that the Seat has Heads of other Units in the system to make it easier to resolve all issues in good time.
He also added that the Unit handles issues virtually to avoid problems associated with physical contact.
He advised importers who have any issue that has to do with their goods in the ports or those not satisfied with the DN given to them to approach the Seat for resolution.
Malanta took over from the former CAC, Mohammed Abba Kura, who was recently appointed Assistant Comptroller General and redeployed to Abuja in first week of February.
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