PTML Customs Collects N234b in Revenue

... Exceeds November 2022 Revenue by N20.9b

Kathy Kyari

As of November 30, 2023, the Port Terminal Multiservices Limited (PTML) Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has collected a total of N234,340,789,594 in revenue, surpassing the collection of N213,405,461,873 in November 2022 by N20,935,327,721, that is a 9.8% increase.

Shortly after the MV Great Lagos, a Grimaldi-owned roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) vessel, was welcomed, the command's Customs Area Controller (CAC), Comptroller Saidu Abba Yusuf, expressed hope that the command would reach its 2023 total revenue objective.

In keeping with the assurances they provided to Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, on his visit to the command two months ago, the CAC stated that PTML officers are fully deployed to perform effectively.

Yusuf reiterated that in order to prevent the delays caused by independent agency inspections, customs officers are fully mobilized to perform joint examinations with sister agencies of the government from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Compliance and transparency, he said, are the keys to speedier cargo clearance at all times.

He claims that the command is an example in many respects, such as the record-breaking three-hour RoRo cargo clearing time, where 100% compliance is achieved. He continued by saying that this achievement of time release is sustainable and has helped PTML attain sufficient terminal space free of traffic.

The controller further stated that the arrival of the "MV Great Lagos," a ship that can accommodate 2500 cars, 2000 containers, 2500 general cargo, and equipment, demonstrated the command's ability to accept and handle an increase in the volume of imported goods.

Comptroller Yusuf commended the Grimaldi Group for their achievement but cautioned all port users and stakeholders to maintain compliance at all times to reap the legitimate advantages of trade facilitation and ease of doing business.

"Since my arrival, I have been saying a lot of things about the advantages of being compliant. Once you are compliant, you won't experience any delay in cargo clearance. When you declare exactly what you have, and when you pay exactly what you are supposed to pay as your duties we won't delay you".

"The fastest we have done so far in terms of time release is about 3 hours.When a consignee or a declarant declares exactly what he has, examination is quickly conducted and release is quickly done. Within 3 hours, your cargoes are out. We don't have any cause to hold on to any cargo as long as the compliance level is 100 percent".

"The most important thing, as I always say, is compliance and transparency. When you talk about the harmonization of process, standardization of process, simplification of process, all these entails that there must be transparency. Once there is transparency, it makes our job very easy and the issue of interventions, infractions will be limited and the time release will be so fast".

"The moment the time release is fast, it attracts more businesses in line with World Customs Organisation tenets which all customs administration are trying to key into".