The Apapa Port Command of Nigeria Customs Service and it’s Area Controller have been honored with triple awards for Revenue Collection, Excellence and its outstanding achievements, at the Comptroller General of Customs Award Night held on Friday, November 29, 2024 in Abuja.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Command’s Spokesman CSC Usman Abubakar on Saturday.
According to the statement, the three awards which were presented to the command by the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, recognised the command for it’s various groundbreaking achievements in the areas of revenue collection, anti smuggling and trade facilitation.
“For the first time in the history of the command, it generated N2tr as revenue into government coffers as at November 20, 2024. Under the leadership of Comptroller Babatunde Olomu, the command raised the bar of preventing revenue leakages and achieving maximum collection, even in the face of low trade volume.
“With hands on daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly evaluation of its activities, the command has been attune to getting all officers to resume early, process all entries timely, carry out diligent examination and shun compromise in the discharge of their duties”.
The Apapa Command Area Controller’s wife(left), Comptroller BO Olomu(middle), CSC Usman Abubakar, the Command’s Spokesman at the CGC’s award night in Abuja on Friday.
Shortly after receiving the awards in Abuja, Comptroller Olomu while holding the plaques and certificates dedicated the honour to all officers and men of the command.
He described the achievements as a result of teamwork, dedication, focus and cooperation.
To him, “No leader can excel without supportive lieutenants and called for continuous support from all stakeholders as we enter the last month of the year 2024.
While thanking the CGC for the honour bestowed on the command, Comptroller Olomu said as the number one Customs Officer in Nigeria, CGC Adeniyi has been a source of inspiration and good example for all officers to emulate.
He also described the award as a motivation for selflessness, called for increased commitment and a challenge to sustain and improve on the tempo of work at the command which will cascade to all bonded terminals attached to It.
The Controller also urged all port users to rededicate themselves to national service by being law abiding and reporting suspected unlawful acts in the port to the service and other security agencies.
Comptroller Olomu lauded import and export traders who have used Apapa Port within the period of his leadership and implored them to operate in full compliance with the guidelines for their trade.
He specifically commended exporters who pioneered export activities under the Guided Trade Initiative (GTI) of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and urged more Nigerian business men and women to take advantage of the ease of doing business initiative to use Apapa Port.
He equally invited them to tap into the simplified procedures put in place by the CGC under an evolving modernisation regime to trade seamlessly.
Comptroller Olomu enjoined officers of the command not to see the three awards as an avenue to relent efforts but a motivation and challenge to work harder.
He reminded them of the importance of compliance as it saves money, time, build integrity for positive profiling and helps in recognition for upgrade to the Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) Status.
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