Nnadi Counts Achievements After 8 Months in Seme, Command Records N1.904bn Revenue
NNADI AT A PRESS BRIEFING
By Francis Ugwoke
The Seme Customs Command has recorded a revenue generation of N1.904bn between January and August this year.
This was despite the closure of the border among others in what affected international trade for some years.
The Command seized fake dollars worth N2.7b in addition to other notable seizures between January and August 2023.
Comptroller Dera Nnadi who is now the Tin Can Island Port Controller told newsmen on Friday that the Command recorded N1,904,459, 390.77, a figure which represents 97.2% of the total target for this year.
He told newsmen, “In the corresponding period under review for year 2022, the revenue was N885,543,098.11. The implication is that the Commands revenue profile witnessed a tremendous increase of N1, 018,916, 292. 33 (51.98%).
“This was as a result of painstaking efforts made by the leadership of the Command in partnership with our stakeholders to ensure compliance with our revenue generation agenda.
Among other seizures were: “9500, ( 50kg) bags of rice equivalent to sixteen trailer loads of foreign parboiled rice with Duty Paid Value of N312, 242, 064.93k,13, 835 x 30 litres, Jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit equivalent to 415, 050 litres or 13 petroleum tankers with Duty Paid Value of 738,276, 461k and 15,389 of General Merchandise Goods”.
Under hard drugs were: “41 parcels of Cannabis Sativa 4,900 tablets, 225mg of Tramadol Tamol-X,
3,600 tablets 225mg Tramadol Royal 225, 157 tablets of Heineken Ecstacy and 864 packs of Cigarettes”.
Nnadi also said that officers of the Command acting on credible intelligence intercepted 1,364, 30 litres Jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit equivalent to 40,800 litres over one tanker load and with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N24, 663, 355 only at the early hours of Friday 8th September, 2023 along the Badagry Coast.
He put the total duty paid value for the items seized for the period, January to 8th September 2023 at N1, 827, 362, 619.
He continued, “In addition to the above, in line with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) dictate of encouraging its personnel, the Officers and Men of the Command that were involved in the seizures of fake Six million USD ($6,000,000) currency, fifteen fake international passports and ten Driver’s license, and that of Donkey skins in January, 2023 have been commended by the Acting Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, dsm, fnipr, psc (+).
“The Commendation letters and Congratulatory letters from the Command would be presented to the beneficiaries today.
He described Seme Area Command as the platform for the sustenance of the regional integration expected to be driven through the ECOWAS Protocol on the free movement of persons, goods, and services, the implementation of the various trade policies of the sub-region and the continent especially the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) and the emerging African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“The objective of the ETLS and AfCFTA is to liberalise trade by abolishing customs duties and fees on imports and exports and the elimination of non-tariff barriers among member states. It is intended to achieve unhindered market access to the countries of the sub-region. Seme Area Command has worked assiduously to ensure that the region optimises this expectation.
“Upon my assumption of duty on the 23 of January, 2023, I pledged to adopt new strategies to boost trade while enforcing the nation’s anti-smuggling laws along the Abidjan Lagos Corridor (ALCO) in line with the ECOWAS protocols on free movement of goods and persons.
“I also promised along with officers and men to encourage compliant traders along the corridor bearing in mind the challenges of the JBP as one that is still recovering from the effects of the border closure. We have kept faith with that as will be explained in due course.
“It is important to note that the Nigeria 2022 Fiscal Policy Measures by the Federal Ministry of Finance lifted the ban on export of goods imported into Nigeria hitherto prohibited under item 8 Schedule 6 of the Common External Tariff. It is hoped that our stakeholders take full advantage of this gesture while our brothers from other countries in the sub-region particularly the Republic of Benin will reciprocate this gesture where there are existing trade barriers.
“It is gratifying to note that the CGC and the government of both countries and the stakeholders are all on the same page regarding the need to improve our relationship with a view to maximize the opportunities offered by the proximity of our two countries to the border and develop trade along the corridor.
“Let me appreciate the Comptroller General of Customs for his support to the Command and also appreciate the Seme Badagry Community for their cooperation and to officers and men of the Command for their gallantry and patriotism.
Our greatest appreciation goes to the media for highlighting our modest efforts in Seme Area Command.”
The Seme Customs Command has recorded a revenue generation of N1.904bn between January and August this year.
This was despite the closure of the border among others in what affected international trade for some years.
The Command seized fake dollars worth N2.7b in addition to other notable seizures between January and August 2023.
Comptroller Dera Nnadi who is now the Tin Can Island Port Controller told newsmen on Friday that the Command recorded N1,904,459, 390.77, a figure which represents 97.2% of the total target for this year.
He told newsmen, “In the corresponding period under review for year 2022, the revenue was N885,543,098.11. The implication is that the Commands revenue profile witnessed a tremendous increase of N1, 018,916, 292. 33 (51.98%).
“This was as a result of painstaking efforts made by the leadership of the Command in partnership with our stakeholders to ensure compliance with our revenue generation agenda.
Among other seizures were: “9500, ( 50kg) bags of rice equivalent to sixteen trailer loads of foreign parboiled rice with Duty Paid Value of N312, 242, 064.93k,13, 835 x 30 litres, Jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit equivalent to 415, 050 litres or 13 petroleum tankers with Duty Paid Value of 738,276, 461k and 15,389 of General Merchandise Goods”.
Under hard drugs were: “41 parcels of Cannabis Sativa 4,900 tablets, 225mg of Tramadol Tamol-X,
3,600 tablets 225mg Tramadol Royal 225, 157 tablets of Heineken Ecstacy and 864 packs of Cigarettes”.
Nnadi also said that officers of the Command acting on credible intelligence intercepted 1,364, 30 litres Jerrycans of Premium Motor Spirit equivalent to 40,800 litres over one tanker load and with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N24, 663, 355 only at the early hours of Friday 8th September, 2023 along the Badagry Coast.
He put the total duty paid value for the items seized for the period, January to 8th September 2023 at N1, 827, 362, 619.
He continued, “In addition to the above, in line with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) dictate of encouraging its personnel, the Officers and Men of the Command that were involved in the seizures of fake Six million USD ($6,000,000) currency, fifteen fake international passports and ten Driver’s license, and that of Donkey skins in January, 2023 have been commended by the Acting Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, dsm, fnipr, psc (+).
“The Commendation letters and Congratulatory letters from the Command would be presented to the beneficiaries today.
He described Seme Area Command as the platform for the sustenance of the regional integration expected to be driven through the ECOWAS Protocol on the free movement of persons, goods, and services, the implementation of the various trade policies of the sub-region and the continent especially the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) and the emerging African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
“The objective of the ETLS and AfCFTA is to liberalise trade by abolishing customs duties and fees on imports and exports and the elimination of non-tariff barriers among member states. It is intended to achieve unhindered market access to the countries of the sub-region. Seme Area Command has worked assiduously to ensure that the region optimises this expectation.
“Upon my assumption of duty on the 23 of January, 2023, I pledged to adopt new strategies to boost trade while enforcing the nation’s anti-smuggling laws along the Abidjan Lagos Corridor (ALCO) in line with the ECOWAS protocols on free movement of goods and persons.
“I also promised along with officers and men to encourage compliant traders along the corridor bearing in mind the challenges of the JBP as one that is still recovering from the effects of the border closure. We have kept faith with that as will be explained in due course.
“It is important to note that the Nigeria 2022 Fiscal Policy Measures by the Federal Ministry of Finance lifted the ban on export of goods imported into Nigeria hitherto prohibited under item 8 Schedule 6 of the Common External Tariff. It is hoped that our stakeholders take full advantage of this gesture while our brothers from other countries in the sub-region particularly the Republic of Benin will reciprocate this gesture where there are existing trade barriers.
“It is gratifying to note that the CGC and the government of both countries and the stakeholders are all on the same page regarding the need to improve our relationship with a view to maximize the opportunities offered by the proximity of our two countries to the border and develop trade along the corridor.
“Let me appreciate the Comptroller General of Customs for his support to the Command and also appreciate the Seme Badagry Community for their cooperation and to officers and men of the Command for their gallantry and patriotism.
Our greatest appreciation goes to the media for highlighting our modest efforts in Seme Area Command.”
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