PTML COMMAND RAKES IN N229.4 BILLION REVENUNE IN 2022

The Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Port and Terminal Multi-services Limited, PTML has posted a total of (N229,473,912976.97) as revenue from January to December 2023 fiscal year.

The command equally handled export goods on commodities to the tune of 278,572.23 metric tons within the January to December 2022.
The Customs Area Controller, CAC of the Command’, Comptroller Suleiman Bomai stated this while addressing newsmen at the command headquarters on Tuesday in Apapa Lagos.

According to Bomai, I am privileged and delighted to welcome home you to our first media briefing for the year 2023 which is aimed primarily to update you about our activities for the year 2022. These include; Revenue collection, Export trade, anti-smuggling activities, trade facilitation.

Speaking about VIN Valuation and the nature of the work at the command, he added,
” that last year had significant impact on Ports and Terminal Multiservice Limited (PTML) for several reasons- the nature of our operational area makes us deal more on vehicular cargoes (Roll-on Roll-off) and we were impacted by trade policies that affects automobile importation like the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Hence, in the year under review, about eighty percent of the cargo handled in the terminal were vehicles. As a customs command, we employed dialogue with our strategic stakeholders on the need to understand the basis of VIN valuation and
engaged them severally to solicit their cooperation. We also
strengthened our relationship with our strategic partners who are sister government agencies in the port.”

The CAC acknowledged that their strategic engagement with the statekeholders and strategic partners has gone a lone way to strengthen the Command’.

“Our robust interface with private sector stakeholders and government agencies is ongoing in
procedures. It is important to state that implementation of all government policies and directives are ongoing with increasing degree of compliance being recorded so far.

On the issue of revenue generation drive of the Command’, the CAC, who is now promoted to an Assistant Comptroller General said:

” In the year 2022, the Command generated a total revenue of Two hundred and twenty-nine billion, four hundred and seventy-three million, nine hundred and twelve thousand, nine hundred and seventy- six naira, ninety-seven kobo (N229,473,912,976.97) only. This represents about Ninety-six percent of the revenue target of Two hundred and thirty eight billion, two hundred and twenty four million, nine hundred and twenty thousand, thirty-eight naira, eighty-eight kobo
(N238,224,920,038.88) only. Set for 2021 adopted by the Command in 2022. This shows an increase of Five billion, three million, seven hundred and ninety-nine thousand, two hundred and forty-three naira only. (N5,003,799,243.00) over the revenue for the year 2021 which was Two hundred and twenty-four billion, four hundred and seventy million, one hundred and thirteen thousand, seven hundred and thirty- three naira (N224,470,113,733.00) only.

Giving a breakdown of the figures, ACG Bomai further hinted that
“This represents an increase of Two point two percent (2.2%). Despite the recorded downtime occasioned by agents strike and alleged inability by some importers to clear their vehicles from our control, we were able to surpass 2021 revenue collection last year.
While making a comparative analysis of the revenue generated between January and and December, 2021 and 2022, the command said from January to December 2021, the command made a total of N224,470,113,733.00 and that when compared to the N229,473,912,976.97 of revenue of the command within the same months in 2022, it had difference of 2.2 per cent.

On export, according the Command, the CAC said within the period under review, they handled higher volume of export goods.

To him, “the Command’ handled export goods on commodities such as cocoa, sesame seeds, palm oil and other food items with a total tonnage of about one hundred and seventy-eight thousand, five hundred and seventy-two point thirteen, (178,572.13) metric tons, with a total Free on Board (FOB) value of Two hundred and forty-nine million, four hundred and ninety thousand, six hundred and four point fifty-two (USD), ($249,419,604.52) only in the year 2022”.

The CAC while comparing the revenue performance of the Command’ within the period under review, Comptroller Bomai added that “the year 2021, with the total tonnage of about One hundred and forty-seven thousand, five hundred and seventy-eight, point eleven, (147,578.11) metric tons, with a total Free on Board (FOB) value of One billion, four hundred and fifty-two million, eight hundred and twenty- one thousand, nine hundred and twenty-one point fifty (USD), (1,452,821,912.50) only”.

In the area of anti-smuggling activities, the anti-smuggling czar maintained that the Command made impressive outing.

“In the area of anti-smuggling activities, the Command’ made some seizures in the year under review. As a result of diligent hundred percent cargo examination and deployment of intelligence, we uncovered attempts to smuggle arms and ammunition into the country concealed in imported vehicles.

“In the period under review, four seizures were recorded which include: a 1X40ft container containing three vehicles used to conceal two fire arms.

“One used Ford Edge containing Fire Arm and thirty rounds of live cartridges, One used Toyota sienna containing fire arm, One used Toyota corolla containing ninety rounds of live ammunition”.

ACG Bomai said a total of six suspects were arrested in connection with these seizures and have been granted administrative bail. The seizures have a total Duty Paid Value, DPV of Thirty-six million, three hundred and sixteen thousand, one hundred and fifty-five naira only (#36,316,155.00)

“Within the period under review, the command sustained its average of four hour clearance time of vehicle for compliant traders. 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.

“The dispute resolution Committee in the Command was strengthened last year under my watch with experienced and knowledgeable officers.

“It achieved reducing the period trade disputes were resolved. This committee contributed immensely to the success recorded during the year under review.

I personally monitor transactions and interventions by various units daily to sustain our standard of ease of doing business and trade facilitation

The Command, however, emphasised on what it called Srrategic Stakeholders Engagement.

Based on that the CAC harmered on what he called ‘strategic stakeholders’ engagement’. By this, the, the CAC said the Command has continued to maintain a cordial relationship with the various government agencies like the Nigeria police, NDLEA, NAFDAC,
SON, NESREA, NAQS, e.t.c. We have effectively functioned as the lead agency towards ‘ease of doing business’ in the port. This has greatly contributed to the efficiency in service delivery. While the private sector players are our strategic stakeholders. We interacted closely with our strategic stakeholders like the importers, exporters, concessionaire, bonded terminal operators, licensed customs agents, freight forwarders and others, where issues affecting various segment of the supply chain were well discussed and solution proffered

Beside the initial enlightenment done on the VIN valuation, PTML Command, the CAC said, has been doing a lot of engagement on the issue to address the trade facilitation associated with standard and non-standard VIN.

The various interventions approved by headquarters on the issue are diligently being implemented in the command. The innovation to automate clearance of non-standard VIN and use of code 846 for clearance is being applied too. Gradually, our stakeholders are showing understanding.

According to the command, within the period under review, we had very robust and productive engagements with other agencies of government where we shared ideas and pursued government objectives without compromising our respective mandates as enshrined in our enabling laws.

“We met from time to time to share intelligence, prevent and detect crimes in the national interest and on our part as NCS we prevented revenue loss

Comptroller Bomai itemised the challenges of the Command to include:

“Lack of scanners, insisting that absence of non-functional Scanners in the Command is one of our major challenges confronting the command. This, the CAC said will reduce the issue of one hundred percent (100%) physical examination of containerized cargo.

“As the customs modernization project progresses, we are hoping to have a scanner for faster cargo examination”.

Another challenge he pointed out is inadequate Space:
“Available space within the Command is very limited and we are managing that presently. We anticipate that in future the Port and Terminal Multiservice Limited (PTML) management and our various bonded warehouse operators will expand our spaces to enhance customs operation”.he said.

The Ag. ACG, who handed over to the incoming Area Controller, Comptroller Aliyu Mahmud Ibrahim,

“We want to sincerely express our deep appreciation to the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) CFR and his entire management team for the support we have enjoyed, their inspiring leadership, giving us direction and guiding us aright.

“Our achievements as a command is a fallout of the cumulative efforts of Our officers and men with the cooperation of our strategic partners and strategic stakeholders. I also want to appreciate them all for their support and cooperation throughout the year 2022.

“I thank all our officers for the team spirit and consistency’s in working towards our set goals. I urge them to continue on same path in 2023. To gentlemen of the press, we say thank you for your support and partnership in projecting our activities throughout last year, and we are looking forward for your continued support and contributions towards the attainment of our Service goals and sustaining a peaceful environment”