PTML Customs rakes in N256.3bn, surpasses 2023 revenue target by 12%
…Seizes N158.4m contrabands
Maureen Aguta
The Port Teminal Multiservice Limited (PTML) Command of Nigeria Customs Service collected a total of N256, 363,295,141.67 only as revenue for 2023.
Customs Area Controller of the command, Comptroller Saidu Abba Yusuf, said the 2023 collection is N26, 889,382,165 higher than the N229, 473,912,976.97 which represents an increase of 12 per cent last year, above 2022.
Comptroller Yusuf said the year 2023 was a successful one for the Command considering its accomplishments in discharge the service core mandates of revenue generation, facilitation of legitimate trade, anti-smuggling activities and ensuring of National security
According Comptroller Yusuf, the Command handled export goods with a total tonnage of about N159, 314.23 metric tons, with a total Free on Board (FOB) of value of N49, 980,865,875.15 only in the year 2023.
He said, in the area of anti-smuggling activities, the Command made some seizures in the year under review. As a result of diligent hundred per cent cargo examination and deployment of intelligence, the Command uncovered attempts to smuggle arms and ammunition, expired tomato concentrates, used tyres and used fridges into the country into the country, Comptroller Yusuf said
On trade facilitation, he disclosed that within the period under review, the Command sustained its average of three hour clearance time of vehicle for compliant traders.
He added that an efficient and accessible dispute resolution committee has been put in place to regularly brief the Customs Area Controller with a view to quickly resolving all trade disputes, saying the committee contributed immensely to the success recorded during the year under review.
Advocacy Times learnt that Comptroller Yusuf personally monitored transactions and interventions by the various units daily to sustain our standard of ease of doing business and trade facilitation.
To this end, it has been disclosed that the Command has continued to maintain a cordial relationship with the various government agencies like the NDLEA, NAFDAC, SON, NPA, NESREA, NAQS, e.t.c.
“We have effectively functioned as the lead agency towards implementation of ‘ease of doing business’ in the port. This has greatly contributed to the efficiency in service delivery. Regular meetings were held with our critical stakeholders where issues affecting various segment of the supply chain were well discussed and solutions proffered,” Comptroller Yusuf said.