Emeka Okoroanyanwu
Customs Area Controller, Apapa Command, Babajide Jaiyeoba, has affirmed his commitment to raise the revenue of the country’s premier port to N1.5trillion this year.
Jaiyeoba disclosed this to members of the League of Maritime Editors (LOME) who paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Apapa, Lagos on Tuesday.
He noted that he had to set a higher target for himself when he assumed office at Apapa two months ago even though the Customs command headquarters, Abuja had earlier given the Command a target of N1.426 trillion for the year.
READ ALSO: http://Egbetokun confirmed substantive IGP
This, he said, he had to do to bring out the best in himself and those of his officers.
He said the Command has adopted fresh strategies to ensure that it meets the revenue target, lamenting that current economic downturn has affected trade adversely.
Jaiyeoba said that so far, the Command has realised close to N900 billion, adding that it would have been more if not for the foreign exchange issues and one week strike experienced in the port.
He also said that the Command had recorded N136.39bn revenue in the month of October, adding that more revenue could even be generated before the end of the day’s working hours.
The figure is N26 billion more than that of the September revenue, he said.
The Controller said he has been meeting with importers and customs agents to stress on the need for them to make honest declarations.
He explained that this has a way of speeding up the clearance process at the ports, as unnecessary delays are eliminated.
He admitted that the importers and customs agents have been complying with the measures put in place to check any form of trade malpractices.
READ ALSO: http://IMO GUBER: THE COUNTDOWN, THE NEXT GOVERNOR
Jaiyeoba explained further that most times, delays in clearing are caused by failure of the importers and customs agents in complying with trade regulations.
He added, “Every additional day in the clearing process attracts money. We are in for total trade facilitation. Trading itself is about money, the earlier you clear your goods the better for traders.
“Those are the things we are confronting, we have met the agents and we told them that they must embrace honest clearing and that we will also assist in the entire process.
“ It will reduce delays and if you don’t have delays, you will not have to pay unnecessary demurrage. It will also assist us because we don’t have to handle a document two to three times thereby wasting our time. Just today, we met some terminal operators, they have identified their own challenges and we are addressing them.
“The idea of leaving documents on the table has been eradicated, any officer that cannot solve a problem arising from a document would take it to his immediate superior for instant solution”.
The President of League of Maritime Editors, Chief Timothy Okorocha, had during the visit congratulated Jaiyeoba for his appointment as Controller of the premier command, adding that this is deserving considering his past performance.
He also briefed the Area Controller of LOME’s forthcoming 25th Anniversary celebration and the role of the Customs in the event.
