Customs loses N90m revenue to fraudulent agents, importers

The Nigeria Customs Service has lost about N90m revenue payable on vehicles imported through the Tin Can Island Port between January and October 2010 to fraudulent customs agents and importers.

A statement on Wednesday quoted the Area Controller, Federal Operations Unit, NCS, Zone A, Ikeja, Mr. Emmanuel Kane, as saying that N7.1m duty was paid on 65 vehicles imported through the port during the period under review instead of the N97m that was supposed to be paid.

He said, ”It may interest you to know that between January and October this year, we have hauled from the TCIP alone, a total number of 65 vehicles (jeeps inclusive), with N7.1m ridiculously paid as duties instead of a total of N97m that is supposed to be the actual expected revenue from all these vehicles.

”Let it be known once more that the management of the Nigeria Customs Service has put in place measures to track and punish officers, who are found guilty of colluding with these unscrupulous importers/agents. They have made attempts to stall operations at the TCIP in the last few days, but let them know that the Comptroller-General of Customs, Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko, and the entire officers of the NCS will never succumb to their evil ways.”

According to him, the reform programme embarked upon by the management of the NCS had given rise to some policies aimed at boosting and stabilising the nation‘s economy.

Kane said that some importers and agents had refused to embrace the reforms, as they preferred to engage the services of touts, who were only concerned with breaking the laws of the land.

He said most of the importers and agents had vehemently rejected the electronic payment system, which was originally aimed at fast-tracking clearance of goods at the ports, because they did not want to pay the correct duties.
Source:punchng