Olomu Outlines 6-Point Agenda To Refocus Apapa Port

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

Olomu after receiving the Service baton of leadership from Jaiyeoba

The new Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Apapa Port Command,  Comptroller Babatunde Olomu Ph.D , Monday listed six key operational areas his administration will focus on to achieve the mission policy direction of the Lagos premier port, especially in terms of expanded role in the west African sub region.

In no particular order, the cerebral customs chief listed Nigeria’s participation in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA)  as a major driver of his assignment.

Olomu in a handshake with Jaiyeoba during the handing over ceremony

Speaking after receiving the Service’s flag , which serves as the baton of leadership transfer, from his predecessor, Comptroller Jide Jaiyeoba, Olomu remarked that Nigeria holds a strategic trading position in the West and Central Africa region and explained the criticality of Apapa Port in the realization of all the sub regional economic mandates such as the AfCFTA.

During the handing over ceremony

“We are reviving Nigeria’s readiness for improved trade with fellow African countries and the world at large. 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, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR dsm psc (+)”, he said.

Closely related to above, he explained that officers and men of the command also have a duty to pursue vigorously ongoing customs modernization and prescribed tools of trade and conventions by global trading partners including the World Customs Organization (WCO); as the second pillar of focus in his list of priorities.

Across section of stakeholders , officers, including senior journalists during the event

“I want to urge our officers to brace up for the changes that will feature as fallouts of customs modernization, otherwise called e-customs, the AEO, and many other groundbreaking World Customs Organization (WCO) innovations like the recently introduced Advanced Ruling Policy (ARP).

“This will enable us 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.”

Third on the agenda is the promotion of stakeholders’ partnership and engagement, tailored after the CGC’s own agenda, stressing the importance of achieving an interactive stakeholders’ community in the overall goal of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

“Being the customs command handling the largest volume of trade in Nigeria, 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.”

Olomu also prescribed a framework of an efficient work culture officers and men must adopt as an overriding principles that is expected to help achieve set goals and results. He explained that this will enhance stakeholders’, officers and men’s work outlook as a collective attitude to improved best practices.

“I shall set up 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.”

Similarly, the new Apapa Customs boss listed the setting up of a functional trade dispute resolution desk which he said will hand trade disputes towards enthroning civilized and satisfactory interventions.

His words, ““I shall set up 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.”

Olomu urged officers and men of the command to redouble their diligence and commitment in all areas of responsibilities, noting that the NCS core tasks must be treated as a whole, noting that he is confident that team spirit will lead and prevail as failure is not an option.

“I see my task as CAC Apapa Command as a serious assignment from the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi,, MFR dsm psc (+) of which our only option is to deliver diligently not only in revenue collection, fight against smuggling, but in trade facilitation and sustainable stakeholder engagement.

“My assumption of this office is with a mind of confidence that we won’t betray the trust reposed in us by the FGN, the CGC and the entire management of the Nigeria Customs Service. This confidence is premised on the reality that I am taking over a very organized command, where I intend to build on the successes of my predecessor.”

He thanked Jaiyeoba who was proceeding on retirement for his service to fatherland, the service and the command, and pledged to work on the strong foundations he was leaving behind in achieving current vision and realities.

Earlier, Jaiyeoba described his 8-months tenure as CAC of Apapa Command as eventful, challenging and satisfactory. He assured his successor of having emplaced a strong and reliable strategy that guarantees the actualization of whatever results he intended to achieve.

This is even as he used the opportunity to also provide a highlight of his tenure’s revenue scorecard, noting that in most cases, he and his officers and men discovered that they were always breaking own records, by virtue of reliable strategies they put in place to guide their performances.

“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,”

While thanking his principal officers and all the officers and men of the command, he enjoined them to extend the same level of robust support he enjoyed under them to the new area controller; describing him as a team player.

“I want to implore all our officers, sister government agencies and stakeholders to join me in formally welcoming Comptroller Olomu. Let’s triple or possibly, quadruple the cooperation and support I got for him. His success is our common benefit. For over three decades, I have known him to be a team player and result-oriented officer.”

Meanwhile stakeholders at the command gathered to bade Jaiyeoba goodbye and to wish him success in his future endeavour, saying the outgoing CAC was a listening and performing administrator, who raised the bar of trading community relationship a notch higher.