By Innocent Orok
The Nigeria Customs Service, Area II Command, Onne Port, Rivers State has recorded an unprecedented, historical milestone in the area of revenue generation.
The Command hits an overwhelming daily revenue collection of ₦22,184,899,508 in a single day as against the previous N2bn daily collection in the past.
Also, the Command recorded unprecedented monthly revenue collection of ₦50,863,053,945.54 in the month of February 2024 as against ₦40,290,755,560.96 ever generated in the previous months and years.
The breakdown shows a total of ₦124,652,728,187.50 generated in 49 working days in 2024,( that is January, February and five working days in March). This record has beaten the total figure of ₦118,170,072,415.56 realize from January to June in the year 2023.
The Customs Area Controller of the Onne Customs Command, Comptroller Baba Imam said the revenue so far generated in the few days of this year has broken four records in the Command.
” In February alone, firstly, it is the highest revenue generated in the history of Area II Command so far and the highest revenue generated in a single month. Secondly, the figure of February surpasses the monthly revenue target given to the Command. Thirdly, the daily collection made on the 7th of March is the highest revenue generated in a single day. Lastly, the total revenue in 49 working days in 2024 together, is above six months revenue collected between January to June 2023″.
The Command has surpassed its daily target of ₦1,895,862,709.46 by over 1000% which is the first in the history of daily collections in the Command. The revenue milestone of February 2024 represents 23.3% increase above the Command’s monthly revenue of ₦41,235,013,930.84. When compared to the same period in February 2023, where the command generated ₦17,980,127,317.06, this figure represents an increase of 183%. It also represents the highest revenue to be collected in the history of Area II Command as it surpasses the revenue collected in January 2024 of ₦40,290,755,560.96 and, October 2023 of ₦38,039,764,327.49.
Speaking further, the Area Controller said, this feat was achieved via constant stakeholders engagement, zero tolerance to revenue leakages, synergy, intelligence sharing, and “we have consistently made it clear that the Command welcomes only compliant traders who are willing to operate in accordance with the laid down extant laws and guidelines of importation and exportation.
“The Command is optimistic and deploying various strategies to ensure that this trend continues in order to also surpass not only the monthly targets, but equally surpass the target for the year 2024 of ₦494,820,167,170.07”, Comptroller Imam assured.
In addition the Area Controller said, “It is worthy to mention that the Command before now has been having weekly sporting activities and in February this year it came to the notice of the Management of Customs and in particular the Comptroller General of Customs.
“Hence in addition to the performance in the area of revenue generation/collection the Command received a Commendation letter to attest to our sporting activities and aligning to the CGC’s work-life balance initiative.”
Comptroller Imam advised Commands yet to come on broad to follow suit for the betterment of every individual working in those area Commands so that officers can be fit, physically and mentally balance to discharge their assigned responsibilities effectively.
