Our August Revenue Beat July’s by 45% – Seme Customs

• Our August Revenue Beat July’s by 45% – Seme Customs

The Nigeria Customs Service, Seme Area Command, said that it generated N701m in the month of August, 2017.

A statement signed by the Public Relations Officer, Seme Border Command of the NCS, Taupyen, Selchang, indicated that the revenue generated by the command in August exceeded the N499.7m generated in the corresponding month of July by N201m.

He noted that the anti-smuggling unit of the command also made a total of 48 seizures worth N32.9m in August.

The seizures, according to him, comprised 900 bags of 50kg fertilizer, 1,840 cartons by 60 pieces of mosquito repellent coils and cream, insecticide spray, soap, creams, used clothes and bags, printed textile materials, among other items.

The statement quoted the Customs Area Controller, Seme Border Command, Mohammed Aliyu, as saying that the command was deploying all strategies to boost revenue generation in the busiest land border in sub-Saharan Africa, despite the daunting challenges.

Aliyu explained that the fluctuating revenue from January to date was caused by limited importation across the corridor as well as revenue leakage now being addressed.

Speaking at the briefing of the command’s unit and sectional heads, Aliyu was said to have directed that bank confirmation for every duty payment must be verified before the release of goods.

He also directed that all imported goods must pass through the revenue unit to observe the necessary import documentation formalities, while personal effects/merchandise in baggage must pass through the baggage unit for assessment using the passengers’ baggage electronic system.

He warned that infractions of any kind observed would be traced for appropriate sanctions against the perpetrators.

The Customs Area Controller also used the platform of the Joint Border Security Meeting held in the command to inform all the relevant border security agencies of the need to comply with the presidential directives on ease of doing business and strict adherence to the ECOWAS protocols of eliminating trade barriers within the sub-region.

He said the NCS, Seme border, had complied with the ECOWAS protocol (along the international route).

He urged all other agencies operating along the Lagos-Abidjan corridor to respect the resolve of the Federal government, in eliminating all barriers to the ease of doing business.