MMIA CUSTOM'S COMMAND GENERATES N16BN IN SIX MONTHS

By NBF News

Customs Area Controller, Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command of Nigeria Custom Service (MMAC), Mr. Michael Adedeji Adewole, has disclosed that the custom service generated about N16billion in the first six months of the year into the federation account stressing that its target is to make about N42billion by the end of 2011.

Speaking to newsmen, while giving an overview of this year's (2011), half of the year review of the operatives of the (MMAC), Adewole noted that in the first six months of 2011, the command has collected a total of N16,032,273,876.00 billion.

He gave the breakdown of the monthly revenue collection as N2,035,721,956.51 for January 2011 while the figures for February stands at N2,949,371,196.07 with figures for March 2011, standing at N2,518,289,989.86.

Adewole noted that other figures for revenue breakdown for April 2011 stands at N2,959,822,99 while the revenue for May 2011 stands at N3,267,477,290.28 with the revenue for June standing at N2,736,320,620.38.

He explained furtherĀ  that with the deployment of Information Communication Technology (ICT), the MMAC which comprises the cargo wing of MMIA, the free zone (Airline Service Limited ASL) as well as the bonded Terminal (Cressida), the NCS, has improved on its services delivery as one of the agencies that is improving the revenue of the government.

The Custom Controller, also pointed out that efforts were been geared up for the improvement of revenue generation for the command stating that taken into consideration the over N16billion thus far collected, the command has recorded relative tremendous achievement in the first half of 2011.

Adewole also explained that from January -June 2011, the MMAC has made a total of six seizures with duty paid value estimated at N6, 701,658.2 million even as the custom has had encouraging report on its anti-smuggling campaign.

He pointed out that about fifty three (53) security items in the period under review were detained at MMAC. He listed the security items to include live bullets proof, vests/jackets, helmets, hand glove and military camouflage uniform, including materials made up ones and elephant task.

Adewole further explained that on the period under review that 47 pieces of military uniforms and 56 caps have been released to the Directorate of military intelligence (DMI) and importers with end -user -certificate.

'However efforts are being geared up for the improvement of revenue generation. We can report positively that our anti-smuggling campaign has been fruitful; this has happened with a well co-ordinated effort, officers of the command were mobilized to mount a serious and concerted anti-smuggling campaign 'he stressed..

According to Mr. Adewole he also noted that plans were on full gear to enhance passengers' movement at the airport even as the customs has produced a handbook for passenger's concessions to enlighten them on what to do to make their travel experience seamless.