The TinCan Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has said the total tonnage of goods exported from its command between January and March 2022 was 71,014.4 metric tonnes, valued at N56.21bn.
This was disclosed by the Customs Area Controller in charge of the command, Comptroller Adekunle Oloyode, while speaking to journalists on Wednesday. He said the total Free on Board value of the goods was N56. 21bn.
He added that in the corresponding period of last year, the command recorded a total tonnage of 44,502.9mt with a total FOB value of N31.37bn.
He said, “Comparatively, between January to March 2021 and 2022, the tonnage of goods exported through the command increased from 44,502.9metric tons to 71,014 representing an increase of 62.67 per cent.
“The FOB value in naira of the above-mentioned tonnage also increased from N31.37bn to N56.21bn representing an increase of 55.82 per cent within the period under review. Commodities exported through the command include the following, copper ingots, stainless ingots, sesame seeds, cashew nuts, cocoa beans, rubber, cocoa butter, leather, ginger, frozen shrimps amongst others.”
“Oloyode stated that within the period under review the command seized 206,000 pieces of machetes equivalent to eight 20ft containers coming from Ghana to Nigeria.
He said the containers were seized because the importers failed to provide an End User Certificate from the National Security Adviser. According to him, the importer made a proper declaration, but the importation of such volumes of machetes requires an EUC from the NSA.
He added, “In the area of enforcement/anti-smuggling activities, seizures made include 145kg of Colorado, concealed in two units of ridgeline trucks and two units of Toyota Corolla vehicles, 206, 000 pieces of matchets equivalent to 206, 000, 640 bales of used clothes, 236,500 pieces of used shoes, 62,500 pieces of new lady shoes, 1,670, 400 pieces of Chloroquine injections, 1,814,400 pieces Novalgen injection, 48, 850 rolls of Cigarettes and 23, 800 tins of Sodium bromate & baking powder.
“The import of these products contravenes sections 46, 47, and 161 of the Customs and Excise Management Act CAP 45 LFN 2004. The DPV of these seizures amounted to N1.05bn.”
Oloyode further said that the command was still experiencing challenges as regards the treatment of overtime cargoes because of the non-implementation of extant laws guiding uncleared cargo.
He said the lack of government warehouses near the port is affecting logistics and handling costs.
He added, “In the area of revenue generation of the first quarter of 2022, the command collected N135.44bn. This is an improvement of N22.75bn only translating to a 20.18 per cent increase from the first quarter of 2021 collection of N112. 69bn.”
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