By Eguono Odjegba

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Port Harcourt Area 11 Command Onne, has announced the seizure of container loads of machetes and military wares, amongst other banned goods, even as the command collected the whooping sum of N115.2billion in customs duty for the first half of the year, Jasnuary-June, 2022.

A statement issued weekend by the by the Command Public Relations Officer, Ifeoma Onuigbo Ojekwu, put the total revenue collected at N115,264,159,921.12, which is 47 percent over and above the collection for the corresponding period of 2021; with a differences of N37,097,079,630.91.

Also the command’s anti-smuggling activities progressed significantly up the curve with 28 seizures comprising nine containers; amongst which are contraband military uniforms and machetes said to have been imported without End User Certificate (EUC).

 In the same vein, the command processed a total of 876,775.60Metric Tons of export  with $495,384,221.99 Free On Board (FOB) Value, translating into N203,969,499,562.18; and the sum of N1, 075,060,914.52 being Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS.

Above export figure represents over 150 percent increase in value over and above the value and total of goods processed within the same period  2021, which figure was put at 331,356.40metric tons, FOB Value of $141,422,075.87 (N58,229,125,518.73); with NESS Value of N260,150,300.13.

This is even as the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Auwal Mohammed disclosed that the Federal Government has approved a Domestic Export Warehouse (DEW) for exporters and port users at the command.

According to Auwal, “the DEW provides further opportunities for exporters to process and package their exports within export cargo warehouse in Onne directly to vessels.Due diligence by regulatory and government agencies functions, including Customs examination, shall be conducted in the DEW facility.

“The DEW facility is a one-stop-shop emplaced by the Federal Government to promote and encourage export trade which the command has aligned with ahead of its full take-off.”

Speaking on the command overall performance for the period under review, the Onne customs boss said “This revenue, seizure and export figures coming at the end of the first half of the year attests to a good outcome from our efforts.

“Amongst the seized items were machetes brought into the country without end-user certificate, military wears, vegetable oil, whisky, soap and used clothing. Other seizures recorded include used tyres, foreign parboiled rice, tomato paste, used vehicle parts and other items either classified as prohibited or for which duty payment were being evaded.

“For export, a total of 876,775.60Metric Tonnes with $495,384,221.99 free on board (FOB) value translating into N203,969,499,562.18 and Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) value of N1, 075,060,914.52 were processed through the command in the period under review.

“The above export figures are over a hundred and fifty (150) per cent increase in value to that of first half 2021.”

Instructively, he noted that continued effort by his officers and men to do their utmost guarantees same trajectory of productivity and growth in its core functions for the remaining half of the year.

“While thanking my officers and men for sticking to the vision of the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) vision and agenda, and implementing the service mandate without compromise, I also want to thank our compliant traders.

“As I have always said in our parades with officers and meetings with stakeholders, there are numerous advantages attached to being compliant.”

While urging his officers and men to maintain the traction for the remaining second half of this year, he averred that the deployment of the new cargo scanner allocated to the command will significantly push up performances in all index of measurement.

“My optimism is high because management is getting set for the deployment of the scanners for use (that) will improve our efficiency.”