Tin Can Customs Boss; Compt Musa Blames Terminal Operators for Abandoned Cargoes Litering Port

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Comptroller Musa Abdullahi, Area Controller Tin Can Customs Command

By DAPO OLAWUNI

The Tin Can Island Port command of the Nigeria Customs Service has blamed the latitude of terminal operators in application of extant customs laws guiding the treatment of overtime cargoes as one of the reasons why overtime cargoes are litering the port.

The transfer of overtime cargoes from Nigerian ports has been a knot-tie that proved difficult, even as terminal operators, customs, and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has been engaging in blame game.

Customs Area Controller in charge of the Tin Can command, Comt Musa Abdullahi in his 2021 annual report issued in Lagos on Tuesday also lamented that lack of Government warehouses at close proximity to the port was also responsible for the overtime cargoes.

He said that the command in year 2021generated a whoopin N493,754,017,176.81 as revenue into Federal Government coffers.

According to him, the figure exceeded the 2021 Federal Government (FG) revenue target of =N=350,064,600,000.00. by =N=143billion (41.05%).

According to him, this figure also indicates an improvement in revenue by =N=107,991,549,315.00 (28%) from =N=385,762,467,861.35 revenue generated in FY2020.

Compt Musa noted that in the year under review, a total of 30,441 containers were transferred under the fast track, while 58, 234 containers and vehicles were approved for transit from the Mother Port to Bonded Terminals.

He said “In spite of the above developments, the lack of Government warehouses at close proximity to the port and the latitude in application of extant customs laws guiding the treatment of overtime cargo by the terminal operators remain an area that needs dedicated attention.

“The timely transfer of overtime cargo from the Mother Port and some Bonded Terminals to the Government warehouses and the application of due process as provided by law will not only decongest the port of abandoned or overtime containers but will also improve the cargo throughput and ultimately increase revenue collection.

“In the area of trade facilitation, a new terminal, Classic III Bonded Terminal was opened under Tincan Island Command improving the cargo throughput and revenue collection of the Command.

“With the successful implementation of a Standard Operational Procedure (S.O.P.) on barge movement, 36,496 containers were transported form Tincan Island Port Command through the waterways by barge to Bonded Terminals and Free Trade Zone.

“Additionally, rating of the compliance monitoring activities show that compliance levels improved significantly. Out of 166,903 SGDs registered in 2021, there were 2,484(1.5%) interventions.

“This shows an enhanced compliance rating of about 63.4% and an improvement from the 2019 compliance rating of 15,295 (9.4%) out of 162,110 SGDs registered.
In the area of Enforcement/Anti-smuggling , the Command in collaboration with NDLEA, made a seizure of cocaine with a net weight of 43.110kg concealed in 40 bags of raw sugar packaged in bulk aboard the vessel MV SPAR SCORPIO.

“Twenty suspects and the vessel were detained in connection with the seizure; however, the Command was directed to handover the casefile, vessel and suspects to National Drug Law Enforcement Agency according to Standard Operational Procedures. Seizure was also made of two (2) automatic rifles with 164 rounds of live ammunition which were intercepted in a 1x40ft container MEDU 49022/5.

“They have since been handed over to the DSS. Additionally, a total of 151 containers made of 149 (40ft), 2 (20ft) and 9 uncontainerized cargo were intercepted and seized by the enforcement team with a total Duty Payable Value (DPV) of =N=607,348,617.00.

“In terms of Export, the total of tonnage of goods exported through Tincan island Port for the year under review is One Million, Seven Hundred and Twenty Three Thousand, Nine Hundred and Eighty-Six Metric Tonnes (1,725,987.02MT) with a total F.O.B. value of One Hundred and Forty-One Billion, Nine Hundred and Eighty-Five Million, One Hundred and Nine Thousand, One Hundred and Fifty-Nine Naira Only (=N=141,985,109,159.00)” the report says.

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