Hyacinth Chinweuba
Tin-Can Island Port Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has disclosed a N229.3billion revenue collection between the month of January and June.
The Command previously collected N117.2billion in the same corresponding period of 2020, despite the lull in the volume of cargo entry into the country as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Spokesperson of the Command, SC Uche Ejesieme, in a statement revealed that despite the lull in cargo volume, measures adopted by the Command includes the use of ICT and intelligence to profile consignments contributed to increase it’s revenue profile.
The revenue breakdown collections analysis recorded in January this year increased by 19.08 percent, as it hits N41.2billion against N34.6 billion realized within the same period of 2020 under review. This however according to the Spokesperson shows that the revenue grew by N52billion above the previous year.
Ejesieme further stated that between February, N31.7 billion was generated an increase of 23.35 percent over the N25.7 billion collected in 2020 respectively.
Therefore in the month of March, N39.6 billion was collected, an increase over N31.2 billion realized in 2020 of the same period, and in April the sum of N45 billion was hauled in, as the collection made in May dropped to N36.7 billion, in June another slight drop of N34.8 billion was realized.
Furthermore, Comptroller Musa Abdulahi, attributed the growth in the Command’s revenue to measures put in place to block all revenue leakages and increase in the level of compliance especially by importers who are members of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.
The Comptroller explained that the “Import flow has reduced but because it is a gradual thing it has not affected our revenue, adding that “We may start observing it in the next two months if the situation does not improve.”
He pointed out that presently, “We score N52 billion above last year’s collection between the month of January and June.
Musa added that, “Tin Can port is gradually becoming the manufacturers port, there is high level of compliant and they pay their duty consistently, because they know the importance of time,”
“Uche cited that due to the global recession and other challenges, cargo throughput has actually dropped but we are lucky, it has not affected our revenue performance because the Command has created a lot of platforms to check revenue leakages.
He said the Command have the compliance and monitoring team and we also have the Customs Intelligence Unit (CIU) supplying intelligence working with the terminal heads, examination and releasing officers which also help in shooting up revenue by the time the intelligence is converted.
“The Controller, according to Ejesieme has brought his experience to bear being an ICT savvy person, he knows how to use ICT to profile consignment.
The whole essence is just for us to add value on any SGD because non-compliance is still an issue but we thank God with the kind of stakeholders we have and how we have been interfacing with them.
We have recorded a paradigm shift such that people are beginning to understand that there is actually a reward for compliance.
The Command also gave priority release of consignment to compliant traders who are beneficiaries of the fast track scheme including members of MAN, he said.
“He said most importantly is the aspect of the monetary and compliance unit.
Part of the chuck of revenue we have gotten so far is also attributable to their resilience and professionalism in using every necessary tools to block to some reasonable extent, areas that revenue ought to have gone into private hands wrongfully,” he said.