By Stephen Ubanna
When Compt. Babatunde Olomu, was the Area Controller of Edo/ Delta Command, much is known about him as a performer. This is because of the poor revenue collection of the Command. The poor revenue collection of the Command may not be unconnected to the low economic activities at the Warri port. Moreso, the Command, could not boost of much viable excise Factories like Ogun II, Abeokuta, Lagos or Lekki Command.
The deployment of the Customs Comptroller who was overseeing the service Over time cargo Auction by Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, the Customs Comptroller General to Apapa Command, overseeing the premier port, when there was a vacancy last May, with the retirement of Compt. Babajide Jaiyeoba, may have exposed the Customs Comptroller as a revenue mobilizer, unequalled in the history of the Apapa Command.
The Customs Comptroller who was said to have maintained the structure inherited from his predecessor and tightening up areas of revenue leakage at the port was said to have taken advantage of the Command vantage position of controlling and managing the over 60% of the country’s imports to ensure that it manifested in its revenue generation.
He was said to have effectively engaged the services of the Heads of Units at the Command and the Bonded terminals superintended by the Command to ensure that they meet their daily, weekly and monthly targets. The Customs Comptroller who is not ready to take any excuse from the Heads of Units for nonperformance or the Bonded terminals superintended by it for not meeting their revenue targets may have forced them to work round the clock to do the needful to avoid playing into the hands of the Area Controller who may be laughing with you but insists that that the right thing must be done.
Given the rot that was said to have been perpetuated at the APM terminal, currently manned by DC, Ibrahim Turaki, where there are too many sit- tight Assistant Comptrollers who had their godfathers at the Customs Headquarters, the Customs Comptroller was said to have scattered the untouchable ACs, making the clearing of cargoes to run smoothly which was said to have reflected on the Command daily, weekly and monthly revenue collections.
Past Area Controllers of the Apapa Command were said to have made efforts to move some of the ACs out of the APM terminal, but met road block. Besides tackling the rot at APM, terminal to pave the way for DC Turaki and the few AC, that were said to have been left to work with him and achieve results, the Apap Customs boss was said to have thrown his weight on DC. Frank Oyeka, who may agents had said that he is acting out a script of the Area had tightened up security at the exit gate and ensure proper checking of documents submitted to his office before the gate can be opened such cargoes to exit.
It was not surprising why Demand Notice, DN, are flying at the exit gate and the guilty agents who have had made false declaration or made underpayments are ever will to settle their indebtedness to the government instead of getting their Consignment seized.
Note the Customs General , had relied on the Apapa, Tin can Island, Port Harcourt Area II, Onne, Command and Port Multi-services Terminal Limited, PTML, to meet and even surpass the N5.1, that had been set for the service by the incumbent President Bola Ahmed Tinubu Administration for the service in 2024. At the last Comptroller General Conference in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, an elated Adeniyi, had said that the service had collected and paid into the Federation account about N5.0794 trn into the Federation economy.
Compt. Olomu, may not have failed the Comptroller in the confidence reposed on him to deliver on his mandate, was said to said to have collected a total sum of N2.01 trn between January and Tuesday, November 19, 2024, which was said to have been into the Federation account, to make up 40% of the N5.0794 trn that was paid by the service into the Federation Account as at November 12, 2024.
Note the Customs Premier Command had been given a revenue target of N2.2 trn by the Customs Management team which the Command on its own had increased to N2.5 trn. The Customs Compt. Who was said to have mobilized his management team and who in turn had mobilized the officers working under them had said that the Command is firing on all cylinders to meet their target and even surpass it by December 31, 2024.
He was said to have urged the Heads of Units and the Bonded terminals superintended by the Command ‘’to keep the trajectory good revenue and enforcement records that had been sustained since he assumed office last May. Appealing to the officers to align with outstanding examples of the Customs Comptroller General, who maritime analysts had described as a workaholic, because of his revenue track records, trade facilitation, uncompromising enforcement and sustained stakeholder engagement, he noted that it is the only way the Command can main its lead in revenue collection in the service. The good news about the DC. Nwanze led Enforcement of the Apapa Command is that seizures made from smugglers at the seaport are backed by the arrests of suspects that would be prosecuted as a lesson to other other dubious importers with the agents.
Bdullahi Usman, a Chief Superintendent of Customs and the Command spokesperson, had said that the Customs Comptroller, had taken advantage of the Monday Parade, ‘’to update the officers and men of the Command on most of the decisions taken at the CG’s Conference. The Customs Area Controller who would want the officers to imbibe the spirit and letter of the theme of the of the CG’s Conference which was ‘’Engaging Traditional and New Partners with purpose’’, noted that it aligns with that of the World Customs Organisation , WCO, which seeks to leverage achievable gains from relationships across Organisations and Individuals in order to achieve the service set goals.
The Apapa Customs helmsman was said to have listed some of the outcomes from the CG’s Conference which included sustenance of diligent import and cargo examination with the deployment of 100% physical examination where necessary, granting of access to enforcement Unit officers to view the Nigeria Integrated Information System, NICIS, platform, and avoidance of indiscriminate intervention alerts which makes the service personnel appear to be working at cross purposes.
As a prelude to encourage the officers to be more committed and dedicated to their jobs, Compt. Olomu, beaming with smiles, was said to have announced that the Command is planning an award night for serving officers and stakeholders that had contributed to the Command’s success in the 2024, Fiscal year.
He was said to have also given plagues of award to some Units of the Command and individuals for excellent discharge of duties. CSC, Usman, the Command spokesperson, had said that that the Cmpliance Unit was honoured for the recovery of over N2 billion in the last three months. The CSC, Usman, had alluded to the fact that the Customs Comptroller had said that the efforts of the Command’s recovery Unit had prevented the loss of N3 billion within the last three months. Ac. M. Samad, was said to have received an award from the CAC for due diligence and regular detection of under valuation. Also, one Adamu Bashir, an Inspector of Customs was said to have been honoured by the Customs Area Controller as’’ the best dressed and punctual officer’’ in the Command. With the awards, the Customs Comptroller may have thrown a challenge to other officers to sit up.
