Customs revenue drops by N2.7bn at Tin-Can Port

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Tin-Can Island Command, had a revenue shortfall of N2.7 billion in the first quarter of 2016, compared with the corresponding period of 2015.

The Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr Chris Osunkwo, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.

Osunkwo, in a breakdown, said that the command generated N58.9 billion in the first quarter of 2016, adding that it generated N61.6 billion in the corresponding period of 2015.

NAN reports that the Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Retired Col. Hameed Ali, on April 4, at a Consultative Forum between Customs and the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), decried the revenue shortfall.

Ali attributed the shortfall in Customs revenue to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) policies,

He said that the service, as a whole, had a revenue shortfall of N230 billion in the last quarter of 2015.

Osunkwo, however, said that the command made some seizures along with the revenue collected in the period under review.

He said that in January the command seized 60 cartons of centre tables, 30 cartons of cooking oil, 60 cartons of fruit juice, and 25 cartons of spaghetti, all with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N3.6million.

Osunkwo said that the seizures in February included: 50 bundles of used tyres, 15 cartons of table water and 10 cartons of vegetable oil, 11 bags of used clothes and three bags of used shoes, all with a DPV of N600,000.

He said that in March, the command seized 70 cartons of tissue paper, 70 cartons of nylon, 24 bags of fruit juice, 21 bags of used shoes and a woman’s bag, all with a DPV of N571, 000.