The Comptroller-General of Customs, retired Col. Hameed Ali, said that the Nigeria Customs Service had set N1 trillion revenue target for itself in 2016. Ali announced this to newsmen at the sideline of the celebration of International Customs Day (ICD) on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said that the service had not received 2016 revenue target from the Budget Office of the Federation, adding that Nigeria Customs had, however, set the target for 2016.

“We (customs) have not received the 2016 revenue target from the budget office yet but we normally set a target for ourselves and we are looking at the N1 trillion for 2016.

“We hope and are working to block all leakages and making sure that our system works perfectly and hopefully the policies of government will also be in our favour; we hope to hit N1 trillion in 2016.”

On asset declaration by customs personnel, Ali said: “I believe that all my officers are complying.”

According to him, the deployment of e-customs has boosted revenue collection and its role of providing connectivity in the nation’s borders. He said that Nigeria customs was jointing its global counterpart community to celebrate the day set aside by the world body to appreciate customs men and women who had worked for the economic and security well-being of the nation.

“The deployment of e-customs has boosted customs' role of providing connectivity between nations divided by artificial borders.

“Collection of revenue and interception of harmful imports have been made easier with the help of technology.

“In line with the change mantra of the present government, let me remind all operatives and stakeholders alike not to abuse the process and corrupt the system.

“Any act calculated to distort and compromise the integrity of e-customs will not be tolerated and will be met with appropriate sanctions.”

Ali said that in the area of using technology for collaboration and efficiency, NCS was always playing the leading role. According to him, the Nigeria Integrated Customs Information System (NICIS), Nigeria Trade Hub and the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) are electronic platforms for effective collaborations and ease of doing business in Nigeria. Ali said that compliant stakeholders and operatives who had distinguished themselves in the deployment and transparent use of e-customs to enhance revenue and national security would be encouraged and rewarded.

The Secretary General, World Customs Organisation (WCO), Mr Kunio Mikuriya, said that to support the WCO members in their efforts to further adopt digital customs, the WCO had developed an extensive portfolio of instruments and applications. The Secretary-General was represented by the Deputy Comptroller General, Strategic Research and policy, Paul Ukaigwe. Mikuriya said customs administrations globally were encouraged to actively showcase and promote the use of Information Communications Technology (ICT) to collect and safeguard customs duties, flow of goods and secure cross border trade from crime.

“Part of our work in these months to come will be to monitor and communicate best practice in topics as diverse as change management, human resource policies and information management.

“Over the course of 2016, all WCO members are to promote and share information on how to they are adapting to the digital environment and how they are leveraging the potential of IT. They will also promote how to implement and use digital technologies to advance and achieve their objectives and respond to the expectations of traders, transport and logistics operators.” (NAN)

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