New Customs Controller; Dimka Assumes Duty At Seme Border, Tasks Stakeholders

The new Customs Area Controller in charge of Seme border; Comptroller Victor Dimka has charged importers and exporters as well as clearing agents operating at the border to play according to the rules of import and export.
Dimka gave this charge on Wednesday shortly after receiving handover notes from the command’s acting Controller; Deputy Comptroller Sabo HA.
Underscoring the importance of his new assignment, Dimka told an informal group of licensed customs agents who paid him a visit that he still needed time to study what is contained in the handover note, but assured his guests that Seme border command is a familiar terrain to him.
He urged officers and stakeholders to realise that the challenge of dwindling revenue from crude oil sales has made it imperative for maximum revenue to be collected by the Customs. “We have to shape up to collect maximum revenue and supress smuggling to the barest minimum”, he stated.
He reiterated that the fight against smuggling of poultry products is still on-going and will be sustained. He also re-emphasized that all hand must be on deck to summon the challenges of manning a peculiar international border like Seme border, which is characterized by heavy vehicular and human traffic.
He told the clearing agents that: “We will not bring down any importer as long as you have it at the back of your mind that the revenue that must be collected must be collected, we won’t need anything from any importer or agent, but people must begin to comply with the rules governing importation and exportation”.
Earlier, the new Controller had told officers that Seme Command must perform above average in terms of revenue collection, anti-smuggling drive, legitimate trade facilitation and the security of the Nation through the effective manning of the international border.

Compt. Dimka Victor urged all officers to imbibe the culture of transparency and professionalism while discharging their responsibilities; he warned that any negative conduct observed among officers along the international border will not be tolerated.
The new Customs Area Controller stated that for more revenue to be generated, smuggling must be fought to a standstill, a duty he has come to accomplish and urge all officers to brace up to the challenge to perform their duty, despite the constraints of marshy creeks that may not be accessible to vehicular surveillance.