Seme Customs Generate N1.1bn

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Seme Command generated N1.1 billion in September, up from N883.7 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2015.

The Command’s PRO, Mr Taupyen Selchang, said that the command recorded 76 seizures with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N67.7 million during same period.

“The upsurge in the revenue figure in the period under review is unprecedented in recent times.”

He disclosed that the previous months were characterized by a lot of challenges that militated against the smooth collection of revenue in the command.

Selchang, however, said that it is heartwarming to note that efforts put in place to address the challenges yielded the expected result far above the preceding months.

In his comments, the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Victor Dimka, said that the command has overcome the old challenge of revenue generation.

“There will be a boost in revenue if the Memorandum of Understanding signed with our counterpart (Republic of Benin) translates into handing over of all transit vehicles to Seme Command,’’ the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes Dimka as saying.

He talked about the level of compliance in the general unification of values across border commands; the implementation of the complete 17 digits declaration of Vehicle Identification Number (VIN); and the strict adherence to clearance procedure of general goods.

Dimka was optimistic that this feat would be recorded and sustained. He is of the opinion that this is doable once the principle of compliance, transparency and also integrity is strictly adhered to in the line of duty.

The controller said that the impressive performance would go down memory lane to justify officers’ commitment and determination to succeed at all costs.

He said the command remained undaunted and therefore would continue performing its statutory responsibility no matter the challenge.

In the same vein, the anti-smuggling unit of the Command has also intercepted and arrested three bullet proof vehicles. They smuggled the vehicles into the country at different entry locations.

The three arrested bullet proof vehicles with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N58.79 million are: a black Jeep Escalade; a black Toyota Land Cruiser (VKR), both with Lagos registration numbers; as well as a black Mercedes Benz Bus with a foreign number.

Inspecting the seized bullet proof vehicles, Dimka said that the security of the nation remained a top priority to the border commands of the Customs service.

Customs do more than revenue generation

“Apart from generating revenue, suppression of smuggling as well as facilitation of legitimate trade, the Nigeria Customs Service also has a complementary role of protecting the territorial integrity of this nation,’’ NAN quotes the controller as saying.

He said that the challenge of security “is vital to the survival of the nation’s socio-economic and political system. Therefore, there is need to ensure that bullet proof vehicles undergo security procedure for approval from the office of the NSA before importation’’.

Dimka said that the seizures recorded by the command in recent times attested to the alertness and also the security consciousness of the anti-smuggling unit.

He said that the command would not relent in its effort in combating smuggling and other cross border vices.

“The drastic reduction of smuggling through aggressive anti-smuggling operations as in the case of Seme Command, facilitates legitimate trade across the frontier and higher revenue generated,’’ NAN quotes Dimka as saying.

The controller said that the uncompromised stand of the command to work relentlessly in line with global best practices (border management) and also the policy thrust of the Comptroller-General of Customs is commendable.

He urged officers “not to rest on their oars’’ in having a healthy and symbiotic relationship with the stakeholders in the implementation process of the FG’s fiscal policies.

Dimka said that a healthy relationship devoid of infractions in clearing procedure would give the command the desired result. I will also impart on increased revenue generation and suppression of smuggling. (NAN)