Customs Ogun II area command generates N13.7bn in 8 months

The Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Ogun II Area Command, Abeokuta on Monday disclosed that it generated N13,7 billion from January to August.

Comptroller Saleh Bala, of the command made this known during the working visit of the Zonal Coordinator Zone A, ACG Module Aremu, in Abeokuta.

Bala said that the revenue target for the command in year 2020/2021 quarterly stood at 6.2 billion.

He said that the N13.7 billion total revenue collection, from January to August, showed a percentage of approximately 82 per cent.

“The command fell short of her target by 18 per cent due to the scarcity/high cost of ethanol and low sales due to reduction in purchasing power of Nigerians, occasioned by the prevailing pandemic – COVID-19 and social distancing policy.

“Comparatively, the total Excise revenue collection from January to August 2020 was N8.2 billion.

“However, in the corresponding period in 2021 fiscal year, an increase of 5,581,402,017.35 was recorded,” he said.

Bala attributed the achievement(s) to intensive sensitisation of officers/stakeholders, and through relentless monitoring by the command.

He said that this resulted in the discovery of new excise factories within the Command.

Bala said that during the period under review, 15 new factories were brought under excise control .

He said they were under different stages of registration: those paying duty, licensed but not yet paying duty, yet to be licensed and others.

The comptroller, however, listed challenges being faced by the command to include lack of operational vehicles.

He also said that the power generating set inherited from the erstwhile Ogun Command no longer powered the command effectively, throwing some blocks in darkness whenever there was power outage.

“The command does not have a borehole. The only surviving source of water supply to the command is the temporary borehole sunk by the contractor who constructed the new 30-man rank and file accommodation.

“The importance of a health facility centre in the Command cannot be overemphasized. Last week, the Command lost an officer for an ailment that could have been managed,” he said.

The comptroller called for more accommodation for officers in barracks, in view of increasing staff strength.

Bala also noted that in recent times, there had been a recurring incidence of system failure, thereby hindering excise traders from generating assessment for prompt excise duty payment.

He said that this had resulted in a down turn in their monthly revenue collections.