How Apapa Customs Will Meet Its N1.5trillion Target – Jaiyeoba

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

The Apapa Customs Area Controller, Comptroller J. Jaiyeoba says foolproof strategies have been put in place to ensure the realization of the command’s N1.5trillion annual revenue target which he says remains sacrosanct, citing critical examples to include critical engagements and seamless administrative savvy.

Comptroller Jaiyeoba who was speaking when he received members of the Maritime League of Editors led by its President, High Chief Timothy Okorocha, who paid him a courtesy visit, disclosed that since assuming control of the premier command, the challenge of documentation related delays in customs seats has ceased.

In the area of revenue collection, he says the command has a working target of N1.5 trillion for the year, higher than N1.426 trillion target given to it by the Customs Headquarters; noting that with the collection of N900 billion already; the ambitious N1.5billion target  it set for itself is achievable.

Jaiyeoba said although the past strike action lasting almost a week embarked upon by the labour movement as well as the prevailing erratic exchange rate posed some challenges, officers and men of the command he says are leaving no stone unturned to ensure that its revenue target is collected to the last kobo; all things being equal.

He explained that through honest declarations, goods are cleared in good time leading unswervingly to unfettered trade facilitation; with everybody, government and traders being the better for it.

“Once there is good turnaround time, charges will reduce because of the elimination of unnecessary delays’. So those are the measures we put in place when I came in, and am happy to report here that agents and importers alike are complying.

“We all know that every additional day in the clearing process attracts money, so part of our strategy upon arriving is to discourage delays of documentation on our desks; that has been eradicated. We are in for total trade facilitation. Trading itself is about money, the earlier you clear your goods the better for traders.

“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, and we can escalate to the headquarters if need be to get the right direction and quick response.

“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.”

To buttress the command’s readiness to perform optimally, Jaiyeoba disclosed that the command under his watch collected the sum of N136.39 billion for the month of October, with an excess of over N26 billion above the collection for September.

While congratulating the Apapa Customs helmsman and his management team for their commitment to the critical business of trade facilitation and revenue generation, Okorocha noted that his posting to the command is well deserving, because of his history of dedication to duty and his capacity to deliver satisfactorily.

Briefing the customs chief on the forthcoming 25th anniversary of the League, Okorocha stated that the two day function will key note speakers doing justice to prospects in harnessing the marine and blue economy, together with an appraisal of the overview of the 2023 customs Act , and its implications on trade and the ports business, generally.