… records milestones in anti-smuggling arrests
The Nigeria Customs Service SEME Border has reported a revenue shortfall of 23 per cent blaming the development mainly on a drop in cement export occasioned by the competition between Dangote Cement and the cement marketers in Togo.
The Command further attributed the shortfall to the lull in activities as a result of the cashless situation in the country posed by the naira redesign and the general elections
This, according to the Command led to a shortfall of 75,000 metric tons of cargo.
In a press conference at the Command on Tuesday, the Customs Area Controller (CAC) in charge of the Command, Comptroller Dear Nnado, said the challenge in cement export brought a shortfall of 75,000 metric tons of cargo.
He stated that the Command in the first quarter of 2023 recorded a revenue collection of N350, 099,541.71 translating to N105,095,708.76 or 23.09 per cent drop in first quarter of 2022 with a record of N455,195,250,.47.
Nnadi said: “For export, 1,243 trucks bearing 40,096.47 metric tons of made in Nigeria cargo declared on 165 Single Administrative Documents (SAD) with Free On Board value of N4, 291,322,887.19k and National Export Supervision Scheme Fee of N21, 456,551.83K.
“During the same period in 2022, 3006 trucks bearing 116,053.9 metric tons of cargo with FOB value of N6, 597, 506, 993.28K with NESS Fee of N32, 989,006.16 was recorded.”
He further attributed the deficit in the revenue to lull in activities during the cashless policy and the wait by the traders for the outcome of the general election.
“Also recall that I had earlier informed you that the economic policy of the Republic of Benin who charge fees on goods in transit to Nigeria constitute tariff barriers to trade along the corridor.
“These affected the Commands revenue and need urgent review.
“I wish to repeat as I had earlier mentioned in my previous interactions with the media that the major source of revenue of the Command (import/export) have not been enhanced since the opening of the land borders as directed by the federal government of Nigeria as the traders are still bracing with the challenges of having been out of business for over two years.
“Where few have embraced the reality of the circumstances, they have requested and appealed for a review of the process of obtaining approvals for re-exportation which requires that they go to Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning at Abuja for every application for re-exportation” he explained.
The CAC however, gave kudos to the Command in the area of anti-smuggling performance, saying that it recorded milestones in the first quarter of 2023 with the seizure of fake $6m (equivalent of N2.763 billion at the exchange rate of N460.52 ).
He announced that the amount has been handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Nnadi added that 2, 242 bags of 50kg rice equivalent to 112,100 kg or four trailer loads of foreign par boiled with Duty Paid Value of N72, 700, 480 were also seized in the first quarter of 2023.
Others are; 7, 587 by 30 liters of Premium Motor Spirit equivalent of 227,610 liters or Seven Tanker loads of PMS with duty paid value of N51, 075, 684.
Also seized were 50 pieces of donkey skin with duty paid value of N10, 689,504.
Six Maltese international passports with the same picture of a lady but bearing different names, two Senegalese international passports , three Togolese international passports, four Republic of Benin international passports, one Republic of Niger international passport and 10 international driving license.
Also seized by the Command is 1160 pieces of dead rats, 1102 pieces of dead tiny birds and 34 pieces of monkey skin and 14 parcels of cannabis sativa.
“These achievements (progress) so far, were not made on a platter of gold. It took the painstaking efforts of the officers who spend hours on patrol and surveillance to record the seizures.
“We wish to reiterate that we will not relent on this effort and for this reason, the officers are being commended.
“The Command will continue to dialogue, engage, sensitise and educate the public on social/economic implication of smuggling as well as performing statutory function of enforcing compliance in line with government fiscal policies.
“For this we are once more calling on stakeholders in the Seme Krake corridor and beyond to prepare to embrace AfCFTA while consolidating on the gains ETLS,” said Nnadi.
He concluded the conference with a thank you message to the Comptroller General of Customs, Colonel Hameed Ali (rtd), the management of Customs, officers and other stakeholders.