EDO/Delta Customs’ Command targets N32bn in 2020

…rakes N1.8bn in January

The EDO / Delta Command of the Nigerian Customs Service, says it is targeting revenue generation of N32 billion by the end of 20202, even as it realized a total sum of N1.8billion revenue in January this year.

Area Controller, EDO/ Delta Command, Mr Alajogun Olaniyi who spoke to Journalists in Warri, on Tuesday said that the Command had been saddled with the responsibility of Collecting N2.7 billion monthly amounting to N32billion target in 2020.

Although, he pointed out that the Command was able to generate not less than N1.8biillion, while explaining that it is always like that at the beginning of every year all over the places because businessmen are expecting what budget and government policies will look like.

The Controller noted, “Before now, our monthly collection used to be N1.5billion and for the entire year, we are supposed to collect N18billion, and on Tuesday, the headquarters rolled out the target for 2020 and EDO,/ Delta Command has been saddled with the responsibility of Collecting N2.7billion every month and a yearly Collection of N32billion”
He said that the target given to the Nigerian Customs Service for this year is almost N2trillion hence the upward review of what every Command must Collect, adding” the revenue that we will be Collecting will be largely be based on the volume of Cargo that we are able to get Considering the peculiar nature of the Warri Port.
“It is not very active, but we are hopeful that things will get better, however, on our part, the best we can do is to ensure that the little Cargoes that Comes, we Collect all the Collectable revenues by Putting in our best expertise and making sure no revenue that is Supposed to go into government Coffers goes untapped.” 
The Customs Controller said that the Command generated N22biilion in 2019 as against the target of N18Billion adding that the Command had a revenue target of N18.2billion in 2019, with a total revenue Collected within the period under review, is N22.181 billion.
Comparatively, the revenue Collected for the year under review is N6.35 billion higher than that of 2018 which was N16billion with the same revenue target of N18billion.
Speaking on the border Closure, the Controller said that though the development had led to an increase in revenue generation of the Customs Service, but it had no direct impact on the Operations of the Edo /. Delta Command, adding that before border Closure, the Command had not been getting many Cargoes from larger Vessel because of the the shallowness of the Escravos Channel as EDO/ Delta Command is essentially a revenue Command and not enforcement Command.
He said that the the development would galvanize activities in the Warri Port and by extension the Command, as soon as the Project was Completed and Commended the leadership of the Customs Service for Providing the necessary welfare and logistics for Officers and men of the Command.