By Cross Udo, Abuja
The Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (retd.), yesterday said the Service may face challenges in meeting its N3.019trn revenue target for the 2022 fiscal year.
The CG also said that the Service would realize at least $17.6bn after the conclusion of the automation of its operations in a few years.
Ali made the disclosures when he featured at the 55th session of the presidential briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Team at the presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said the Service had so far collected and remitted the sum of N2.143trn into the government’s coffers.
According to him, the protracted controversies around the agency to collect the Telecommunication Tariff which was recently resolved in the NCS: favour would affect the target.
He explained that the projection as of the time the N3.019trn target was set was based on the assumption that the Service would start the collection from the beginning of the year.
The suspension of the telecom tariff until recently when it was resolved, he said, would pose a great challenge to meeting the target.
Ali also said that the delay in the collection of carbonated drinks tax may also pose another challenge.
The Customs boss said the Service only recently commenced the collection of the tax which he noted was also part of the assumption at the time the 2022 target was set.
According to him, “We were given the target of N3.019trn for the year 2022. And I told you that we have so far collected N2.143trn.
“So, we are working towards making sure that we get to the target. I’ve also told you about our challenges and that some of the key areas that were factored into the N3.019trn were the collection of the Telecommunication Tax, which up till now we have not started.
“Also the collection of the Carbonated Drinks Tax, which we started those in June or July. So we did not start at the time we were supposed to start. And those figures ought to have been added to the N3.019trn.
“But we’re working very assiduously to make sure that we block all that chances and see if we can, by the end of December report to Nigeria that we have been able to make the N3.019trn target.”
•Says service will realise $17.6bn after automation
Ali also disclosed that the Service would make about $17.6bn for the country after its automation.
He projected that Customs would need $3.5bn to fully automate its operations and limit human interactions.
Responding to a question on what he had been able to do to rid the Service of corrupt officials, the CG disclosed that over 2,000 officers have been dismissed for one form of misconduct and complicity or the other since he took over as the head of the Service.
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This, he said, served as a deterrent to others and ensure discipline in the system.
Commenting on the fears in certain quarters that his successor may dismantle his structures and reverse reforms in the Customs, Ali explained that he would not be held liable if such happens.
He, however, assured that with his efforts to deploy technology in the operation of the Service, such reversal would be difficult assuring that his successors would only build on his achievements.
Commenting on the roles of the Customs in oil theft, Ali explained that the responsibility of enforcing maritime laws and sea security lies with the Navy and NIMASA (Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency).
Asked to explain the increase in tariff on imported vehicles and seizures of same on highways by his men, the Customs boss said the cost of clearing cars rose because the Service has deployed technology to determine the year and make of imported cars to avoid under-valuation.
According to him, imported cars are now being appropriately valued and requisite duties are collected from importers.
Where the clearing agents succeed at under-valuing vehicles and paying fewer duties, owners of such cars risk being arrested on the highways and made to pay the appropriate duties to the government’s coffers.
