admin 
Ports Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has collected a total of N117,568,218,513.00 as half-year revenue for January to June 2022.
The figure which is 12.3 percent above the N104,649,202,251.00 collected at the end of 2021 first half, is a combined result of the volume of trade through the port, trade facilitation strategies and prevention of revenue leakages emplaced by the Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Festus Oyedele Okun.
Comptroller Festus Okun in a press statement signed by Yakubu Muhammad, Customs Public Relations Officer PTML Command, Lagos explained that comparatively, the command maintained a sustained trend of increase in monthly collections in 2022 above 2021 except in the month of April 2022 when the Command collected N16,357,509,497.
According to him, a month-by-month breakdown of the cumulative collection in January, February March, May and June this year manifested increases ranging from 3 percent to 28 percent.
He said “In January this year, the command collected N15,713,776,798 which is 3.3 percent higher than N15,205,823,545 collected in January 2021. For February of both years, N14,075,386,963 was collected in 2022 and N11,706,947,150 was collected in 2021 showing a 20 percent increase above the previous year’s figure.
In March 2022, the command collected N21,840,828,908 which translates into a 9.5 percent increase above the N19,937,869,175 collected in the third month of last year.” He added
Okun said comparative figures for May 2022 with that of 2021 show the highest monthly increase of 28 percent. “This year N22,550,759,092 was collected above N17,606,073,741 collected same month of last year.
For the month of June 2022, N27,029,957,255 was collected showing a 21.5 percent increase above N22,253,694,223 that was collected in June 2021.”
Comptroller Okun advised importers and agents operating in PTML to maximize the advantages in the command like the four-hour clearance time for honest and accurate port users.
The CAC described the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) valuation system as a policy designed to achieve national economic and security interests while calling for more stakeholders’ support to make it work more efficiently.
He also urged them to keep abreast with ICT innovations aimed at simplifying customs operations like the Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) which is aimed at achieving efficient and time-saving cargo clearance without human interaction.
Comptroller Okun also admonished officers and men of the area to keep up the work ethics of shunning corruption, avoiding any form of compromise and continually ensuring maximum collection of duties due to government without compromising national security.
According to him, the practice of issuing demand notices (DN) to recover identified shortfalls in duty payments should not be viewed as punitive but in line with honesty and service, which are guiding principles of the service.
He reminded them of the need to adhere to the provisions of the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) CAP 45 LFN and other books of instructions including directives from the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali, Rtd.
