Despite gridlock Customs rakes in N404bn from Apapa port in 2018

Despite billions of dollars being lost to the unending gridlock in Apapa Lagos, the Nigeria Customs Service, Apapa Area 1 command said it generated N404 billion for 2018 record year.

According to the Customs Area Controller of the Command, Bashir Abubakar while briefing newsmen in Lagos on Thursday, the money was revenue gathered from import and export duties.

The figure went up by N53 billion from the 2017 year where it generated N350.9 billion.

Abubakar explained that this implied that the agency recorded 95% of its target of N426.1bn for the year under review.

“This also shows that the command collected N53bn above the revenue generated in 2017,” he said.

While attributing the success to the commitment of staff and the support of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (retd.), he said the agency was strategic in the discharge of its duty.

He noted that 72 containers containing various goods were seized while another 41 containers with pharmaceutical drugs were intercepted.

“The strategies include an advanced system and monitoring, collaboration between internal and external units of the NCS and other government agencies.

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“Seventy-two containers of various general goods such as used spare parts, used tyres and other sundry goods valued at N9.62bn were intercepted in 2018.

“In the year under review, the command also seized and condemned 41 containers of controlled pharmaceutical drugs including tramadol, with Duty Paid Value of N8.81bn.

“Furthermore, the command also seized an export-bound used helicopter valued at N210.6m, in addition to another import-bound aircraft “Cessna 182A” valued at N486.9m.

“All these items were seized owing to various infractions such as false declaration, concealment and complete disregard of import and export guidelines.”

He added that 2,500 containers were blocked over non-compliance to export declaration while command recorded 1, 206,649.67 tonnes of exported goods in 2018 valued $239.5m equivalent of N73.2bn.

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