Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, newly deployed Customs Area Controller for Apapa Command has disclosed that he is on a mission to make customs operations supportive of international trade while aligning with World Customs Organisation (WCO) and World Trade Organisation (WTO) goals.
Speaking to port users and the media at a handover ceremony in Lagos, Olomu also said he will pursue enhanced preparedness of the command to contribute to Nigeria’s goal of participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
According to him, the command will implement all the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, the Common External Tariff, import and export prohibition guidelines, and other books of instruction as directed by the government.
Olomu who described his deployment to Apapa as a serious assignment from the Comptroller General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said his only option is to deliver diligently in revenue collection, fight against smuggling, trade facilitation and sustainable stakeholder engagement
He said “While promoting a robust customs community relation system where there will be regular interface with all government and private sector stakeholders, I shall upscale our enforcement with intelligence to ensure that only legitimate trade is allowed in Apapa Port and all the terminals under the command.
Our tolerance level for smuggling of prohibited items, concealment, and declaration for duty evasion is zero and shall remain so.
“Our country holds a strategic position for trade in West and Central Africa and Apapa Port is critical in Nigeria’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area(AfCFTA). We are revving Nigeria’s readiness for improved trade with fellow African countries and the world at large. NCS is reshaping it’s personnel and technology to live up to this expectation I therefore urge our officers to see it as a fresh call up to improved service
“As you may be aware, the management of the service is committed to evolving a more modern customs with Apapa Port being a nucleus to the implementation of the many trade facilitation reforms championed by the Comptroller General of Customs
“I want to urge our officers to brace up for the changes that will feature as fallouts of customs modernization, otherwise called e-customs, and many other groundbreaking World Customs Organisation innovations like the recently introduced advanced ruling policy.
“As a reminder, the ‘advanced ruling’ is a mechanism that allows traders to obtain binding decisions from Customs administrations on the classification, origin, and valuation of goods before importation.
“I will lead to facilitating trade in a way that would grow Nigeria’s economy, create more opportunities for compliant traders through fast track, and help those with credible track records to migrate to the status of the authorized economic operator (AEO).
“This will enable them to enjoy more gains of trading across borders in the global supply chain in line with the Revised Kyoto Convention (RKC), the WCO Supply Chain Management Guidelines, and the various national best practices.
“As a working principle, I hereby advise all our officers to treat all official matters with the speed they deserve leaving no file unattended to as such delays could mean slowing down government revenue inflow.
“I shall emplace a trade dispute resolution seat that will operate every day including weekends to ensure that we make this command a true front liner in global best practices in terms of customs operation for other customs formations to emulate.
“Being the customs command handling the largest volume of trade in Nigerian port, Apapa Command under my leadership won’t be complacent and will be open to continuous engagement with everyone. My doors are open for advice on how best to achieve our mandate because we are all here to add value and do better for Nigeria” he said
Also speaking at the ceremony,Comptroller Babajide Jaiyeoba, outgoing CAC of Apapa Command appreciated the gesture by the stakeholders and applauded the cooperation of the sister agencies and stakeholders he enjoyed.
In his farewell Speech, Comptroller Jaiyeoba recalled how the support received from Officers and Men of the Command strengthened him affirming all achievements attained so far are product of teamwork and further enjoined all Stakeholders and Officers to triple the support and cooperation to the new Area Controller.
“As a team working together from different directions towards a common goal, we relentlessly pursued maximum collection of duty by preventing leakages, fought against smuggling and ensured that complaint traders enjoyed hitch free clearance under customs control.
“Between January and April 2024, the Apapa Command of NCS collected a total of N672,172,624,033.03 as revenue for the federal government. We have set the ball rolling for the actualization of our target and the officers I am leaving behind are focused on this. My optimism is not misplaced because we have all proven to be tested and trusted.
“It is noteworthy, to explain that in the month of April 2024 alone, the command generated N182 billion which is a record-breaking monthly collection in the history of the service.
“On February 23, 2024, we recorded revenue collection milestone by generating N16,021,660,412.00. This daily collection strengthened our cumulative figure. These are laudable developments coming at a time the port is not enjoying its full import trade potentials owing to so many factors,” he said.
