The Nigeria Customs Service seized goods worth N5.2 billion in the first half of the year, Mr Sunny Okpurhe, the Assistant Comptroller-General (Enforcement and Drugs), said on Tuesday. Okpurhe told news men in Abuja that the seizures were made through proactive steps taken by customs officers across the borders.

He said in the first half of 2010, the service seized goods worth N3.2 billion, and about N2 billion lower than the figure recorded in the corresponding period this year.

Okpurhe attributed the achievement to certain measures put in place in terms of utility of officers and their motivation via salary increase. He added that the increase in seizures was as a result of customs reforms, provision of new equipment and improved staff welfare.

The assistant comptroller-general said the service recorded a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1.86 billion and seized 214 vehicles as well as 231 general goods in January.

In March, we had a DPV of N664.44 million; the number of vehicles seized was 334, general goods 227; and in April, it had a DPV of N331.99 million, the number of vehicles seized was 219 and general goods 147.

In May, we had a DPV of N768.83 million, 290 seized vehicles and 190 seized general goods; and  in June, a DPV of N514.87 million while the number of vehicles seized was 336 and general goods 233,” he said.

Consultants attribute housing defict to short mortgage tenure practice.

Financial and property experts on Tuesday attributed the short mortgage tenure as the bane of positive housing delivery in Nigeria.

They told newsmen in Lagos that only a few primary mortgage institutions in the country practised mortgage tenure beyond 10 years.

Mr Chima Ogbuehi, a property consultant with F&L Integrated Services Ltd, said that financial institutions in the country offered loans not mortgages.