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By Vincent Kalu
Following announcement by the Federal Government for the reopening of Aminu Kano International Airport (AKIA), the Comptroller, Kano/Jigawa Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), S. P Umar, has said that there is huge prospects of more revenue accruing to the federation account.
The Kano International Airport, which along a number of other airports in the country was closed down on the wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is regarded as the second busiest operational airport in the country.
During his second press briefing recently, Umar was unremitting in his declaration of the commitment of the NCS to drive the nation’s economy with the expected optimal efficiency. The collection of maximum revenue, he said, was paramount in line with expectations of the Comptroller General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd).
He identified effective suppression of smuggling of prohibited/restricted items into the country, as a necessary tool to rejig customs statutory role in keeping the economy going.
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The Command collected N24, 438, 274, 946 in the first quarter of 2021. This figure surpassed the 2020 collection of N20, 407, 853, 965. 37; with an increase of N4, 030, 420, 080.72
Speaking on the revenue engineering of the command, Umar said: “In maintaining the tempo, we were able to N5, 555, 914.00 in January and February, 2021” adding: “We will continue to work hard to generate more and we are confident that 2021 target would be surpassed.”
Aside revenue generation, Umar emphasized the necessity of also reducing insecurity and protecting the nation’s local industries; both of which he says are the cardinal levers of Ali’s agenda for economic growth.
According to him, “the Nigeria Customs Service, Kano/Jigawa Command will continue to contribute its quota to the development of our dear country through ensuring service delivery as part of its mandate.”
