A Lagos base maritime expert, Prince Olusegun Ologbese has given an insight into why the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) was able to rake in a whopping N100 billion in May, 2018 alone.
Described as the highest amount of revenue ever generated in a month by the NCS since its establishment decades ago, the Comptroller General of Customs, Colonel Ibrahim Hammed Ali (retired) said the service would do more in the months ahead.
The Bauchi born retired military officer who was the military governor of Kaduna State in his hey days in the service disclosed the figure at an occasion which took place at the NCS Staff College, Gwagwalada, Abuja recently.
Giving an insight into the impressive amount generated by the NCS, Ologbese told Maritime Bits in an exclusive interview in Lagos that the feat was the fruit of years of painstaking efforts in policy and programmes formulation and execution by officers and men of the service.
Popularly called Alaye for his vast knowledge of the inner workings of the NCS, Ologbese who is also the Managing Director Managing and chief executive officer (CEO) of Ogbese Marine Services Limited stated that the service has been targeting generating higher revenue into the central till for years.
He expressed delight that the Comptroller General of Customs (CGC) was proud of the officers and men who made the feat possible by their dedication to their statutory roles and responsibilities.
Besides the officers and men who made it happen, he attributed the milestone attained by the service to the focus of its personnel and adequate preparation by the Customs High Command.
His words: “You will recall that some few months ago, the Nigeria Customs Service Zonal Co-ordinator, Zone A, Assistant Comptroller General of Customs (ACG) A. M. Dahiru started preparing the minds of Customs Area Controllers and other personnel to work hard to surprise the CGC. He enjoined them to work harder and block all revenue leakages in the system thereby generating higher revenue.
“It was not only ACG Dahiru, ACG Abbey and the ICT ACG in Customs College, Ikeja also rubbed minds in addressing the challenges facing the speedy clearance of goods at Nigeria’s second busiest port, Tin Can Island Port Complex, Apapa, Lagos. The meetings and brainstorming was also aimed at maximising revenue generation in the wake of the imminent upgrade into NICI II. Surprisingly their efforts yielded good results and that is the secret behind the N100 billion the service made in May alone which the CGC is now celebrating”.
According to the maritime expert, with the NICI II fully in place, at least 95 percent of the loopholes in the operations of the nation’s seaports have been blocked effectively, especially in the area of cargoes clearing.
He also attributed the feat to port users, particularly licensed customs agents who persevered, supported and co-operated with Customs in finding answers to the challenges confronting the service.
Ologbese who is also the life patron, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ondo and Ekiti States Councils called on the management of NCS to work out an improved welfare package for its personnel.
“Officers and men who are due for promotion should be promoted without any further delay”, he said.
He argued that improved welfare and promotion of those whose promotion have been delayed over the years would motivate them not to rest on their oars but also attain better results as the first half of the year gets closer.
“I can assure you that if the management of Customs adequately remunerate its personnel and promote those whose promotion has been delayed over the years, the N100 billion they generate last month is just the beginning. They can do more if they are well motivated. Going forward therefore, promotion and welfare of officers and men are key”, he added.
