…FG pays N11bn to YouWiN beneficiaries***
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Port Terminal Multi-service Limited ( PTML ) Command, Apapa, Lagos said it generated N98. 8billion in 2017.
The amount was 57.4 percent above the N62.8billion revenue generated in 2016.
Its Area Comptroller, Mrs. Adeyanju Aremu said that the excellent performance was attributed to the ban on the importation of vehicles through land borders.
Aremu also said that trade compliance traders also made smoothen the operations of the command and urged all stakeholders to follow suit by ensuring compliance to the rules and regulations guiding the cargo clearance at the terminal.
She explained that while the revenue generation has been on a steady increase since May 2017, consignments are now cleared within 6(six) hours for vehicles and 24 (twenty four) hours for containers as long as proper documentation is entered.
A breakdown of the command’s the monthly revenue target of N6.3billion was surpassed command collected a total of N6.785billion in May 2017, as against N4. 792billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2016.
In June of 2017, a total of N7. 166billion generated, recording an increase of 40.2 percent of 2016 revenue generation.
For July, August and September the command posting a revenue of N8. 647billion, N10. 160billion and N8. 083billion respectively as against N4. 926billion, N6. 284billion and N5. 712billion collected within the period under review.
The months of October, November and December, 2017 had the Roll On Roll Off (RoRo) terminal collecting highest revenue ever in the history of the Command as a total of N10.611billion was recorded in October, N10. 255billion and N10.318billion were posted as against N6. 320billion, N6. 095billion and N5. 987billion in the corresponding year of 2016.
The Customs Area Controller also commended the officers and men of the command.
“I have the best officers in the Nigeria Customs working with me in the command.
“Inspite of the challenges of bad road, lack of transportation they meet while coming to work, they never gave up.
Most of them have to trek to the office, yet, they gave their best, I must commend them,” she said.
In the meantime, the Federal Government on Tuesday said it had disbursed a total of N10.99bn to beneficiaries of the Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria programme from 2015 till date.
The YouWiN programme is an innovative business plan competition aimed at job creation by encouraging and supporting aspiring entrepreneurial youths in the country to develop and execute business ideas.
The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, gave the figure while releasing N125.64m for disbursement to the final 61 beneficiaries in the third edition of the programme.
Adeosun, according to a statement by the Director of Information in the ministry, Salisu Dambatta, said out of the entire amount of N10.99bn, the sum of N8.39bn was disbursed by the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.
“By January 2018, the total amount disbursed to beneficiaries of the third edition of the YouWiN programme will be N11,121,031,260, of which the current administration has disbursed N8,522,545,038,” she was quoted to have said.
The amount was disbursed to 1,500 beneficiaries, who have started or expanded their business across a variety of sectors, including Information and Communication Technology, manufacturing, services and agricultural production and processing, the minister noted.
Other areas covered under the third edition were fashion and entertainment, while technical support was extended to over 18,000 beneficiaries in the areas of access to markets and finance as well as capacity building in business management, accounting and operations.
Adeosun had shortly after assumption of office reviewed and restructured the YouWiN programme and gave it a new focus for sustainability.
The programme is currently providing online capacity building to more than 61,000 beneficiaries across the country.
The next stage of the programme will involve sector-specific in-class training to successful beneficiaries and the development of franchise infrastructure.
Nation with additional report from Punch