A new controller, Comptroller Bamisaiye PK has assured stakeholders and operators within the Western Marine Customs Command of a listening ear, in a bid to ensure a greater win-win business relationship.

Comptroller Bamisaiye highlighted this on Tuesday 16 April 2024, while taking over the mantle of leadership at the Western Marine Command of Nigeria Customs Service in a brief handing-over ceremony at the Command’s headquarters in Ibafon Apapa, Lagos.

The Maritime First noted that this became necessary, sequel to the redeployment of some area controllers by the management of Nigeria Customs Service, resulting in the outgoing CAC, Compt. OA Salefu handing over to the incoming CAC Compt. PK Bamisaiye.

While appreciating the good foundation his predecessor was leaving behind, he further assured the stakeholders of an open door, insisting that in return, they must demonstrate enduring honesty. 

Comptroller Bamisaiye who has worked in various Customs formations of Nigeria Customs Service Administration brings a rich operational expertise to his new position. 

Before his promotion to the rank of Controller and his present appointment, he served as Scanner Manager at PTML Area Command and was also a Provost Marshal Customs Police Unit at NCS headquarters Abuja.

The New CAC while taking over the reins of Western Marine Command responded by thanking the outgoing CAC for the skillful way he led the Command and wished him the best as he moved on to his new assignment.

The new controller concluded by thanking the Comptroller General and his management team for the faith reposed in him and promised to execute his responsibilities effectively and efficiently.

In the meantime, Compt. Salefu appreciated the officers and men of the Command for the Cooperation shown to him during his tenure as CAC and tasked them to give the new CAC the same cooperation and more. 

He further stated that change in leadership and life is constant and inevitable, as his tenure comes to an end in Western Marine Command, he prayed that God Almighty continue to guide the new leadership.

The Ajoke Ayisat Afolabi Foundation (AAAF), the philanthropic arm of SIFAX Group, has set a target of awarding a scholarship to 2,000 indigent students nationwide in 2024.

Foluke Ademokun, Executive Coordinator, AAAF, while speaking on the activities of the non-governmental organisation in the first quarter of this year, noted that the driving force behind this initiative was to support indigent parents and tackle the menace of out-of-school children.

She said: “We are focused on helping the government reduce the number of out-of-school children, so in our way, we have provided a platform where we source and pay for school fees of indigent students across Nigeria so they can access quality education, despite the financial circumstance of their parents or guardians and we have been doing this since the inception of the Foundation about 15 years ago. Thousands of underprivileged children have benefitted from the Foundation.

“In the first quarter of 2024, we have paid for over 237 students in Lagos and Zaria and we are optimistic that before the end of the year, we should reach more than 2,000 students. The Foundation also plans to equip the students with in-demand skills, promote life-long learning opportunities, and reduce inequalities in access to quality education.”

Ademokun further said the foundation also extended support to Umunna Comprehensive Secondary School, Umuosu in Isiala Ngwa North Local Government Area of Abia State with the donation of 3-in-1 desks and seats to foster a good learning environment that would impact the student’s overall learning experience and success.

 “When we visited the school and we saw that the environment was not conducive for learning especially the tables and desks used by the students, we knew that an intervention was necessary to make the school attractive for the students, this was why we initiated this donation of new desks and seats. We believe that the students will be motivated and better engaged with the new desks and seats”, she noted.

Other projects executed by the Foundation and SIFAX Group in the first quarter of the year, according to Ademokun, include the provision of daily meals for indigents in Zaria, donation of foodstuffs to over 1,000 Lagos residents, free medical outreaches in Lagos and Ogun states, digital training for market women in Lagos, distribution of energy-efficient stoves to women in Abia state, and start-up grants to women in Zaria, Kaduna state. 

While commenting on the various projects, Basil Agboarumi, Executive Director, Corporate and Governmental Affairs, SIFAX Group noted that the Group was committed to investing in the underprivileged Nigerians through its various intervention projects aimed at improving their quality of life.

Comptroller Dera Nnadi, the Customs Area Commander (CAC), Tincan Island Ports (TCIP), says that the command generated a revenue of N303.9 billion in the first quarter (Q1) of 2024.

Nnadi said in a statement on Wednesday in Lagos that the Q1 revenue generated in 2024 was 139 per cent greater when compared with revenue of the same period in 2023.

In the statement signed by NN Okwara, the Public Relations Officer of TCIP, the customs area commander said that the difference in revenue between Q1 2024 and Q1 2023 was N177 billion.

“The command recorded a total collection of N303.9 billion revenue in the first quarter of 2024, as against N126.8 billion recorded in the same period of 2023.

Also Read: $54,330: Comptroller Nnadi Again Hands Over Snatched Funds To EFCC

“The breakdown shows that the command collected a total of N88.4 billion in January 2024 which is 107.9 per cent upscale from the same period of 2023 which was N42.5 billion,” he said.

The customs CAC said further that the command also generated N100.3 billion in February 2024, which is 141. 8 per cent higher than the revenue collected in the same period in 2023 which was N41.5 billion.

He explained that in March 2024, the command collected the sum of N115.1 billion in revenue as against N42.8 billion collected in the same period of 2023.

Nnadi appreciated officers for embracing service delivery for the stakeholders and for teamwork which resulted in an increase in revenue collection.

He said: “The improvement and success is due to the efforts put in place by all units in the Area Command, adding that their efforts are highly appreciated.

“I wish to remind the officers that all stakeholders should be held in high esteem and treated with respect but with due diligence to identify compliant and non-compliant traders.”

He noted that the Enforcement and Anti-Smuggling Unit had not relented in its effort to combat smuggling and all forms of criminality.

The customs boss stressed that under his supervision, the Customs, being the lead agency at the Ports, had through its enforcement unit coordinated several 100% physical examinations in collaboration with critical stakeholders.

He said that these were to ensure that the command was free of any form of non-compliance in line with the international trade cycle.

Nnadi said that, in the period under review, a total of 57 packets of heroin weighing 56.390kg with a street value of ₦902.24 million were seized.

He added that 3612 packets of Colorado Indica weighing 956.772kg with a street value of ₦4.06 billion were also seized.

“All the seized illicit drugs have been handed over to the relevant sister agencies as directed by the service.

“In the past few months, the command has hosted different sections of the stakeholders’ forum – shipping companies, terminal operators, freight forwarders, security agencies, etc.

Nnadi said that the meetings, physically and virtually, have been on modalities to automate communication channels to minimise revenue loss and boost rules of engagement.

“The Command has not relented on its efforts to ensure that its aim is achieved in its efforts to create a level playing field for importers and stakeholders by decongesting the Ports.

“The Command encouraged stakeholders’ approach for the establishment of new terminals and activities have long commenced at the terminals, respectively,” he said.

The customs boss said that in terms of volume (mT) and value (FOB), export trade recorded exponential growth within the same period under review.

“Comparatively, tonnage of goods exported via TCIP increased from 145,906.33 mT in 2023 to 251,679.89 mT in 2024 and represents an increase of 95.3%.

“Also, there is an over 300% increase in the FOB value of the exports from N80.993 billion to N287.79 billion of Q1 2023 and 2024 respectively.

“Exports from the Command include essentially agricultural and other allied products, namely Cocoa Butter, Cocoa Beans, Cashew Nuts, etc,” Nnadi noted.

He commended the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, for his management team and continuous efforts towards strengthening the capacity of the service.

He added that the customs comptroller-general had also introduced innovative methods to perform its statutory responsibilities in line with international best practices.