The Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command, Onne in Rivers State, said it raked in about N301bn as revenue in 2023.
The command’s Area Comptroller, Baba Imam, disclosed this during its end-of-year service in Onne, Eleme Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday.
Imam explained that the functions of the NCS, firstly are about revenue collection and generation, as well as the suppression of smuggling and the implementation of government fiscal policies.
While highlighting some achievements, he expressed happiness that the command met its target for the year, surpassing its target in 2022.
Imam said, “In the area of revenue, the command has recorded about N301 billion as of this moment.
“The command did not only meet up with its revenue target or beat last year’s revenue but has remarkably increased over N40 billion to N50 billion in addition to what was realised last month.”
Continuing, he said, “I would like to state here that, in July, the command had a total revenue of N38 billion, which is an unprecedented record in the history of this command, just for a month.
He added that before now, the command had to record only about N27 billion as the highest revenue that was generated within a month.
Imam stated, “Our revenue target for the year (2023) is about N336 billion and as I speak, we have been able to get about 90 per cent of our revenue target and I want to assure you people all that we are resolute and committed to ensuring that we meet up with our revenue target before the end of the year.”
In the area of smuggling, the Area Comptroller disclosed that in a bit to ensure conformity with import and export guidelines and to serve as a deterrent to others, the command has seized about 38-39 containers within the period under review.
Among the items that contravened import and export guidelines include second-hand clothing, used tyres, concealed hard drugs, other substances, arms and ammunition, including pistols, which were handed over to the relevant agencies.
He also referenced the command’s peaceful and cordial collaboration with sister agencies, and stakeholders, which according to him has resulted in smooth operations and boosted the command’s revenues.
He commended officers of the command for being resilient in carrying out their tasks and obligations as proscribed by the law and urged them not to rest on their oars.
He further admonished, “As young officers in this service, the service is for you. You are the crucial management of this service and therefore, you need to be apt, proactive, diligent and committed.
You need to, with sincerity of purpose, be ready to discharge any assignment assigned to you at any given time, and to be committed to ensuring that you will bring the needed result for you to be recognised.”
Highlight of the event was the presentation of awards, and certificates of excellence and recognition to officers and stakeholders of the command.
