By fabulous reporter
The Area Controller of the Tin Can Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Dera Nnadi has emphasized the significant role of the service in Nigeria’s economy, accounting for over 80% of economic activities. This underscores the strategic importance of the Customs Service in the country.
Comptroller Nnadi spoke in relation to the performance of the current management of the service under the newly appointed acting Comptroller General of the service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, within the last 100 days in office. He stressed that the core functions of the service, which include suppressing smuggling, collecting revenue, facilitating trade, and enforcing Federal Government fiscal policies, are being effectively carried out.
He acknowledged that 100 days is a relatively short period to assess performance but noted that several strategic initiatives have been undertaken in this time frame, including trade facilitation agreements that will have a positive impact on Nigeria’s economy. These initiatives encompass border pacts and partnerships with government agencies to combat smuggling.
Comptroller Nnadi stated, “I’ll be very surprised if someone says not much has been achieved in the last 100 days of office. Being a serious stakeholder himself, one of the first things that was achieved was engaging the stakeholders. Customs is responsible for over 80% of activities that happen in our national economy.”
He further explained that Customs plays a crucial role in implementing economic policies set by various government ministries and bodies, and the success of the Customs Service should be judged based on its performance at various commands, revenue targets, and milestone seizures across the country. Despite challenges like exchange rate fluctuations and reduced cargo throughput, Customs is managing these effectively.
Comptroller Nnadi emphasized that assessing performance based on a 100-day timeframe might not be the most accurate measure in a dynamic environment like the port industry, and the progress of revenue collection and other key performance indicators should be the focus. He cited examples of revenue collection improvements in various commands and expressed optimism about surpassing targets by the end of the year.
Source: NCS platform
