This is as the service reiterated its resolve to ensure continued collaboration with stakeholders and partners to realise its mandate.
The NCS, Area Comptroller, Area II Command, Baba Imam, stated this while speaking at the 2024 International Customs Day in Onne, Rivers State, themed ‘Customs Engaging Traditional and New Partners With Purpose’ on Saturday.
Imam said the service would continue to ensure that its collaboration with stakeholders and partners is sustained.
He stated, “There cannot be an effective and efficient customs operation and procedures, and there cannot be an effective trade facilitation without engaging our partners and stakeholders that are germane to our operations.
“Trade facilitation, which is primarily one of our mandates, cannot be visible without building a good rapport with our partners.
“Customs cannot operate in isolation. The inter-agency, inter-departmental collaboration is key and germane to our operation and success.
“And to this effect, the World Customs Organisation and, more particularly, the current leadership of the Nigeria Customs Service headed by our amiable Customs Comptroller General, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, there is an aspiration and commitment.”
He explained that it is It’s not just to ensure consistency in such engagement but to look at it beyond today and ensure the sustainability of such engagement and to take leverage of such engagement to create a serene environment devoid of rancour and impediments that could mar the service performances.
He revealed that through stakeholder engagement, synergy, collaboration, and intelligence sharing, it was able to achieve a revenue of 313 billion naira in the year 2023.
Imam said this accounts for 93 per cent of the annual target of 336 billion it was given for the past year, surpassing the revenue accrued in 2022 by 30 percent.
He stated, “On export, it disclosed that in 2023, the command processed 1,929,121.22 metric tonnes of goods with a Free on Board value of 10,188,252,603.24 billion dollars, which is equivalent to 9,456,575,171,918.20 trillion Naira.”
Imam said these feats, the Area II Command hopes to build on in 2024, assuring that it remains resolute in discharging its mandates to make the country better.
