ANDREW UTULU
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Ports and Terminal Multi-Purpose Services Limited (PTML), said that it made the highest monthly revenue collection of N44.9 billion in the Month of November, 2024.
Comptroller Tenny Daniyan, Customs Area Controller of PTML Command, who made the announcement in Lagos, said the new customs trading platform B’Odogwu had recorded success since it was rolled out in his Area Command, as its pilot stage with increased revenue.
Also, CSC Muhammad Yakubu, the Customs Public Relations Officer (CPRO), PTML Command, collaborated this in a statement made available to Daily Independent.
According to Comptroller Daniyan, the command’s revenue had increased with the collection of N44.9billion in November 2024, which was the highest monthly collection ever made by the command.
He said in addition to over 5 banks already hooked up to the system, the NCS ICT/ Modernisation Department had concluded arrangement for the 17 banks that are on interswitch payment platform coming onboard.
The Customs headquarters have started interactions with the banks and this would be addressed by Thursday, he said.
The Area Controller said information alleging that four vessels have been unattended to at the PTML berth due to B’Odogwu’s failure was untrue.
He disclosed that the command met with some of the stakeholders earlier in the week, where all issues bordering on the challenges experienced by agents were addressed and they were advised to engage the implementation team for further assistance.
He added that to facilitate trade, the command had bent backwards by applying manual methods to process cargoes and has also established interface with the terminal operator to accommodate port users that have made entries on the platform.
The Controller said most agents claiming inability to capture have not registered on the platform and urged them to come forward for capture to address any challenge.
The CAC said: “B’Odogwu is a Nigerian baby that should be fed by Nigerians. We are weaning our baby from a foreign mother and I urge all Nigerians to support it. We are not going back to NICIS II. The use of NICIS II platform has come to an end in PTML as this is the position of the Service.
”We are aware that some of our agents are yet to be fully acquainted with the additional requirements that were not involved in NICIS II. As the problems come up, we are solving them.
“Note that the management has dispatched an implementation team here to ensure our stakeholders don’t suffer. We were disconnected from NICIS II three months ago and we have fully commenced implementation to grow our own teeth and serve the country better. We have left NICIS here in PTML.
“We are committed to get it right here before moving to Tin Can and other ports. Our turnaround time for properly declared RoRo cargo is still two hours but this is dependent on compliance by the declarant. As a command, we will not sacrifice national security and revenue on the altar of trade facilitation.
”So far, 292 bills of laden have been captured in November, 375 are yet to be captured. As at today, Wednesday over 98 people have paid their duties under B’Odogwu platform as more banks are coming on board,” he said.
It would be recalled that the NCS recently launched B’Odogwu, which is a new Unified Customs Management System, starting with a pilot phase in Lagos at Port & Terminal Multi-Services Limited (PTML).
Adewale Adeniyi, the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC), who unveiled the new model in Lagos stated that the innovative platform represented a significant milestone in Nigeria Customs’ modernisation journey, aligning with global best practices.
He said: “B’Odogwu is our new customs management system that embodies our vision for a paperless customs administration that facilitates seamless trade while maintaining robust security measures.”
“It is important to note that B’Odogwu will eventually replace the current Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS II) as the NCS Legacy System. The system has been developed with foresight, acknowledging that the National Single Window will be coming on board soon, and B’Odogwu will be integrated with it when implemented by the Federal Government,” he stated.
He acknowledged that the initiative was fully supported by the legal framework provided in the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023.
“Specifically, sections 28 and 29 of the Act empower the Service to develop, maintain, and employ electronic systems while ensuring transparency and stakeholder consultation.”
Speaking further, the CGC urged stakeholders to embrace the change with optimism and provide constructive feedback that will help improve the system.
“As we commence this pilot, I urge all stakeholders to embrace this change with optimism and provide constructive feedback that will help us refine and improve the system, as your input is crucial to the success of this initiative.”
“B’Odogwu will enhance our ability to streamline end-to-end business processes, provide stakeholders with customised integration capabilities, support more efficient and intelligent business decisions, and facilitate ease of doing business.”
The Comptroller General expressed gratitude to terminal operators, customs officers, licensed customs agents, and the Trade Modernisation Project team for their support and commitment to the project’s success.
He charged officers of the PTML command to take training associated with the initiative seriously as they would implement it in other commands.
“You will now play the role of pace setters in the Nigeria Customs Service. It is being sown here; we are going to nurture it to fruition here, and we want to assure you that it is going to work.”
The system’s development is a collaborative effort between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Trade Modernisation Project team.
Also, it would be recalled that PTML Command Generated N288.3billion made seizures worth N28.4million, broke Monthly revenue record with N44billion in October 2024.
PTML Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it generated a revenue of N288,392,717,427.00 from January to November 6, 2024; which was 34.8% higher than the N213,914,304,888.11 that was realised from January to October , 2023.
This was disclosed in a statement by Muhammad Yakubu, Customs Public Relations Officer (CPRO), PTML Command; for the Customs Area Controller on Friday November 8, 2024.
Yakubu, a Chief Superintendent of Customs (CSC), revealed that the Command under the leadership of Comptroller Tenny Mankini Daniyan broke the monthly revenue record in the month of October 2024 with a collection of N44,021,583,356.
Comptroller Daniyan, while describing the October 2024 monthly collection as the highest then in the history of the command, expressed confidence in the ability of his officers and men to surpass the record.
The Customs Area Controller attributed the command’s achievements to a combination of hard work by officers, compliance by port users and cooperation of sister government agencies in the port.
In the command’s anti-smuggling efforts, some seizures were made within the period under review and the three suspects who were detained in respect of the seizures were granted administrative bail.
The seized items worth a total of N28,478,034.76 Duty Paid Value (DPV). Some of the items discovered in a 40ft container, No ACLU9664782 include: 2,598 pieces of used motor tyres, 12 pieces of used washing machines, 6 pieces of used fridges, 8 pieces of used motor radiator, 36 pieces of used Rim cover, 8 pieces of used rug carpets, 2 pieces of used mattresses, 2 pieces of used wash hand basin, 2 bags containing used clothes, shoes and bags.
Another 40ft container, No ACLU9810594 contained 56 bags of premium parboiled rice (45.4kg each), 18 bags of Rice Land parboiled rice (22.68kg each), 15 bags of premium parboiled rice (11.34kg each), 20 bags of premium parboiled rice (4.5kg each), 18 kegs of soybean vegetable oil (15.87kg each).
Other seizures were: Twelve rounds of 9mm Luger FC Black ammunition and one 9mm Luger live ammunition extracted from one used Mazda CX5. Ten rounds of NIM FC 30-30 blank ammunition, two rounds of 7.62mm x 39 AK hollow ammunition, three rounds of WCC NIM Luger 9mm live ammunition and four rounds of C hollow ammunition extracted from one used Toyota Tacoma.
Others are fifty rounds of 76mm live cartridges and 109 empty shells of 76mm, 70mm, and other calibres extracted from one used Toyota Tacoma and fifty-one rounds of 12GA Winchester live catridges extracted from one used Lexus RX350.
Other seizures made this year include: one made in China SIGSAUER 1911 pistol with serial No: UO3130962526 extracted from one used Toyota Sienna; one Glock 22 Austria pistol with serial No: KNT003 and thirteen rounds of 9mm hollow ammunition extracted from one used Toyota Tacoma , five rounds of 12GA live catridges extracted from one used Toyota Tundra.
Comptroller Daniyan said: “We must rededicate ourselves to serving our country diligently, firstly as patriotic citizens and as customs officers with mandates to work for the development of our national economy.
“The Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, have a lot of confidence in our ability to deliver excellently as officers with capabilities to use modern trade facilitation tools and platforms like the recently launched B’Odogwu platform, which is being deployed first in our command as a pilot area.
“As we work into the yuletide period, seeing to the end of 2024, let us continue sustaining two hours cargo clearance for compliant RoRo consignments, collect maximum revenue without compromising on diligent examination to detect concealment, under valuation and false declaration,” the CAC said.
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