Onyeka’s Strides To Keep Bonded Terminals, Compliant And Tidy

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

For the Controller, Tin Can Island Port Command   of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Frank Onyeka, enthroning sanity at the second largest port in the country is imperative as part of the efforts to promote trade facilitation. Onyeka assumed office at the port in December last year. Ever since then, he has been working at ensuring that all obstacles to trade and increased revenue generation are put to check.

Apparently aware of decades of the antics of some unscrupulous importers and other stakeholders who try to maximize profit while apparently circumventing laid down trade rules, the Controller has embarked on strategies at finding a redress. This is not without ruffling some feathers.

The Controller who spoke to members of the League of Maritime Editors (LOME) during a courtesy visit said his target is to achieve the much desired compliance to trade regulations by importers and their freight forwarders. He believes that trade compliance will lead to   increased revenue and reduced smuggling activities.

He strongly believes that he and his management team will enthrone an era of trade compliance without choking trade. Onyeka describes both as parallel to one another, adding that the gulf which separates them cannot be bridged.

Checking Bonded Terminals

As part of the moves to ensure sanity in the system, Onyeka wasted no time in wielding the big stick at the bonded terminals, to ensure that the rules of the game are not abused based on a history of sharp practices at the bonded terminals. This is also to ensure a reinforced coordination of the activities of the terminals under his watch. The move may not be unconnected with speculations that some of the bonded terminals have a history of serving as conduit pipe through which revenue to the government is lost; and to ensure that those involved do not take advantage of the recent change in leadership to return to their old ways.

Onyeka says the Command is therefore taking stern measures to ensure it meets its revenue target of about N1.5trillion for the current fiscal year. Besides the revenue question, Onyeka wants to ensure that bonded terminals are not used for illegal operations, emphasizing that he is determined to address the challenges of sharp practices in bonded terminals.

This is even as he told the maritime editors and publishers that some of the sharp practices in the bonded terminals have been dismantled through increased scrutiny on goods on bonds or transires containers. He added that the measure includes checks on increased volume of transfer of consignments from the mother port to external bonded terminals.

Some of the transfers in the past had been suspected to be for illegitimate purposes, a development believed to have impacted negatively on appropriate revenue collection. But the Controller disclosed that so far, the Command has been able to curb some of the nefarious activities of traders, adding that the mother port and terminals are currently working optimally, even more active than   hitherto.

. He revealed that most documents are treated at the mother port with the consignments no longer allowed to go to bonded terminals except they are fully utilised. He explained that part of the stern measures in place is to ensure that he does not sign any document he is not sure of its authenticity, insisting that terminal operators will not be allowed to serve as weak links in the command’s operations under his watch.

His words: “We take into cognisance national security, trade facilitation and so on. Once your consignment is the same with your declaration after examination is made, your goods get released. Our officers are at different places monitoring. We equally carry out strong sensitization on customs clearing agents. The implication is that unscrupulous bonded terminal operators and their customs agents are no longer able to swindle the country or have a field day.

“The service is more than before determined to facilitate trade, this will be done without choking the business community as well as ensuring that we do not under-charge on duties.

“Let me say that before l came, TICT was not completely public, but as far as we are concerned we have improved on that and l can tell you for free and this is verifiable, that TICT is more active than ever before. This is because l insisted that the rules of engagement should reflect trade facilitation and utmost governance system that promotes balance and fairness.”

Reinvigorated Enforcement

Apparently aware that over the decades, the Tin Can Island Port has been associated with smuggling activities, the Controller assured that he will do everything to check this trend. It is on record that different items, including drugs, illegal arms and other items worth billions of naira have been seized at the port. Onyeka said that under his watch, no such illegalities would be allowed, vowing to drive trade facilitation through compliance.

“We are very sensitive to trade facilitation, we try to sensitize the business community, encourage them and ensure we generate collectible revenue. As valuation officers, we will never under charge and we are not here to choke importers.

“If we don’t apply the decency, it will be difficult to achieve trade facilitation which is one of our core mandates”, he said.

Ending Multiple Alerts

One of the measures Onyeka has introduced which excites importers and freight forwarders is the elimination of the tradition of multiple alerts.  Under his watch, the Command has reinforced the enthronement of one-stop-shop operation which eliminates multiple alerts, for a long time already regarded as a nightmare to importers and freight forwarders. The scenario was such that as examination of containers is carried out and the items released at some point, the movement could be halted following the incidence of multiple alert. It was considered very frustrating as it meant fresh checks, query and amendments.

Stakeholders Engagement

He said one of the things working for the command is the highly improved stakeholders’ engagement he inherited and has sustained.  He said he uses every    stakeholders meeting to preach against smuggling and other issues of malpractices involving importers and their freight forwarders; and his insistence at curtailing smuggling to the barest minimum, if ever.

Increased Revenue Generation

For the Tin Can Island Customs Command, the various measures are no doubt producing positive results. This is seen in terms of steady increase in revenue generation, and the assurance that the Command revenue target of N1.524 trillion for 2025 is not an impossible task, all things being equal. Already, the Command    collected ₦347.9bn between the months of January and March this year.

The total amount generated for the first quarter of 2025 which is ₦347,935,672,476.00k   is 12.6% higher than the ₦304,000,000,000.00k generated in the corresponding period of 2024. The January, 2025 revenue generation record shows  a total of ₦116, 412,735,766.23 which represents 24.06% over and above the figure of ₦88, 430,126,122.76 recorded within the corresponding period of 2024.

The record for February of 2025 also shows that the sum of ₦103,254,292,839.23k was generated which is also 2.90 % over and above the sum of ₦100,253,187,074.72k generated in the corresponding period of 2024. Its March 2025 revenue collection is ₦128,268,749,635.00k , 10.3% higher than the ₦115,100,000,000.00k generated over the corresponding period of 2024.

Comptroller Onyeka’s simple message is for stakeholders to do more honest declarations so that seamless operational environment will exist, with all sides, positively benefiting there from, and thereby improving the sustenance of the commonwealth.