By Ifeyinwa Obi
COMPTROLLER Abdull Amade is Area Comptroller Federal Operations Unit,FOU, Zone C Owerri, in this interview with CustomsWatch, he disclosed that his efforts of the leadership of Nigeria Customs Service,NCS, at positioning the service, is being replicated in his zone. He noted that his men made seizures to show that they are battle ready for smugglers.

Amade  also hinted that movement of unwanted good have been minimal in this zone. He also spoke on other issues

*Says we are poised to tackle smuggling along the creeks*declares that his command is uncovering underpayments
*We make sure that goods  from seaports and airports within the zone cover duty payments*Our officers have no excuse not to perform
*Decries importation of second hand textiles

IT is believed that your command is for carpeting Smuggling, how far have you achieved this?
Definitely our mission here is to make sure that Smuggling is at a stand still in the eastern zone.  As you know this command, FOU zone C controls around 11 states and in recent times if you are attentive and have your ears to the ground you will know that Smuggling and movement of unwanted good have been minimal in this zone, the stand still in recent times is because of our strong policing policy and our ability to have spread our tentacles to make sure that no prohibited goods of are  being moved around within the zone and I think I should give my men and officers kudos on that, because they have really tried to keep Smuggling at the zone a zero tolerance, and I want to mention categorically that we  will leave no stone unturned to make sure that the importers are compliant to the non Smuggling habit.  We have been able to make seizures to show them that we are at red alert.

Last two weeks around the Owerri axis we have been able to make seven seizures, one of them is a bus loaded with second hand tires, we have also seized second hand clothing’s, textiles, second shoes and Tokumbo cars.  We have continuously warned them that these second hand clothing’s are even dangerous to their health.  Not only that it cripples our economy, but it has a negative effect on the health.

In as much as we are on the cause we will continue to tell them, educate and enlighten them.  The cars we seized are Audi 80 with DPV of 600,000, we have Nissan Sunny car with DPV also at 600,000.  We equally have Nissan premiere which we sized along Benin – Okada road with also has DPV of 600,000.  Also we have Volkswagen car with DPV of 600,000 and just yesterday we made a huge seizures of textile, second hand shoes a bus load second hand tires and they are being counted presently at the ware house before we could arrive at the DPV of all the goods.  I hope to get the report before the end of the day.

We are aware of the activities of the Smugglers within the creaks and the Niger – Delta region like Calabar, Akwalbom and Rivers especially when your men have carefully manned the routes.  How far have you gone watching the creeks also?
I want to tell you that we are combatant ready.  We are not just combing the roads or standing at the boarder stations, No we have our searchlight also beamed at the creeks, like those areas you have mentioned.

We are also in control of that area as well and because of that the activities of the smugglers there has also been at zero level within the past three weeks.  I am sure they are jittery because, I am sure they must have gotten the information that the FOU Zone C is around the creeks to make nonsense of any activities with the creeks area and I don’t think we have recorded any incident with that area since I came.

I am also aware that the FOU is also charged with seeing that duty invaders are not allowed.  Have you recorded any under payments so far, and also what are the strategies you have put on ground to cover under payment?

You know our ever ready comptroller general, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi, does not take it kindly with any kind of sharp behaviour to evade duty and we have a charge from him to make sure that duty invaders are being uncovered land made to pay.  We are committed to making sure that we generate revenue to the Federal Government coffers and we are having our ears and eyes on the ground to make sure that, the duty evaders don’t just go free, that they are being made to pay.  We in FOU are not only enforcement officers, we have officers who are revenue wizards so to say, those who knows about revenue collection and we are working hard to see that all the goods released from the seaports and airports within the zone covered duty payments.  Just yesterday we intercepted a truck load of goods with the duty half paid, so we raised a DN for the truck and he has gone to pay.  So we keep uncovering underpayments and we make them do the appropriate thing.

Have you been able to uncover any underpayment or non payment on export goods?
We have not actually encountered such.  The area is manly land lock and what thrives mostly in this area is importation, so we are yet to uncover any underpayment of such, but as I told you we are always vigilant, to uncover any kind of activity within our Zone that is militating against trade facilitation.

What will you say about the officers’ morals and dedication to work especially in recent times that their welfare has improved tremendously?
I am most thankful to my Comptroller General for that.  Infact am marveled at the level he gets all his proposals approved by the government, especially the welfare packages for the officers.  It takes one like him to be able to achieve that.

Mere looking at the officers now, you need not be told that their lively hood have seriously improved and I tell you that we all know and we are putting in our best to make sure we will not fail our Comptroller General and the government as well.  You know that there is a saying that to whom much is given, much is expected in return. It will be disheartening, if the officers don’t put in extra effort to appreciate this kind gesture.  This has been the first time the welfare of the officers has been seriously considered and it is applaudable.  I believe the officers and men of the service are all happy.  We will always do our best in discharging our duties.
What is your revenue target and how much did you generate this month?

We don’t really have a target, but we generate our revenue by uncovering underpayments which the defaulters pay to the Command where the goods came from.  And like I told you we have uncovered several of underpayment and under declarations which also affect the duty paid on that particular goods and we raised DN for them. In future will do more, we will not relent I assure you.