The ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS); an instrument designed by member states of ECOWAS to facilitate sub-regional trade and integration is affecting the revenue generation of the Seme Border Command of the Nigeria Custom Service even as the command has said that some importers are hiding under the scheme to carry out concealment of cargoes.
Speaking at a press briefing at the command in Seme yesterday, the Customs Area Comptroller, Abubakar Sahabi explained that this has caused the command revenue losses which has amounted to N1.2billion.
The ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS); an instrument designed by member states of ECOWAS to facilitate sub-regional trade and integration is affecting the revenue generation of the Seme Border Command of the Nigeria Custom Service even as the command has said that some importers are hiding under the scheme to carry out concealment of cargoes.
Speaking at a press briefing at the command in Seme yesterday, the Customs Area Comptroller, Abubakar Sahabi explained that this has caused the command revenue losses which has amounted to N1.2billion.
Sahabi also said that the command in the light of this, has initiated steps which will ensure that henceforth, all ETLS goods are routed through the scanner.
"In the light of this observation, we initiated steps to allay public fear and misconception by re-emphasising the routing of all ETLS goods through the scanner and anyone with questionable data would be subjected to 100 per cent physical examination" Sahabi explained.
According to the Customs boss, during the period under review, trucks of ETLS- compliant goods with a Cost Insurance and Freight (CIF) value of N4.2billion were cleared in his command while the 1% CISS (revenue) amounts to N37million.
Giving the revenue performance of the command for the first half of the year 2012, Sahabi disclosed that the command has collected N3.3billion from January to May 2012 which is in contrast to the N2.7 it collected for the same period last year.
He also noted that the highest monthly revenue of the command in recent history was collected in the month of May, 2012 as the command collected N997, 585,453.37.
"We are not satisfied as we are still working assiduously to meet our half year revenue target of N4.2billion, our zeal to collect much more remains unquenchable" he said.
He also said that for the period under review, the command made 92 seizures with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N46million and that 17 suspects were arrested in connection with the seizures.
According to him, five out of the suspects have been convicted by the law courts while the other cases are at various stages of investigation and prosecution.
Sahabi pointed out that number of seizures for this year has reduced compared to last year when the command recorded 306seizures with duty paid value of N340million. This according to him has accounted for the improvement in their revenue.
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