The Kwara Command of Nigeria Customs Service generated more than 10 billion in five months to surpass the amount realised from the same period in 2023, an official has said.
The Command’s Area Comptroller, Faith Ojeifo, told newsmen on Thursday in Ilorin that a comparative review of year 2023 indicates that the command surpassed the revenue with a 40.41 percent increment.
“From January to May 2024, we collected and remitted a total sum of N10, 027, 580,694.63).
“A comparative review of the preceding year 2023 indicates that the command surpassed what was collected same period last year with N2,885,779,644.03, which represents 40.41 per cent increment.
“Within the period under review, I rejig my operation teams which had led to 21 seizures of different prohibited items.
“These include 507 bags of foreign rice, one unit of used vehicles, 1,055 pieces of used tyres, 164 jerry cans of PMS of 25 litres each (4,100 liters). The total duty paid value is N35,416,140,000,” he said.
The Comptroller, however, announced that the command had donated some food items to vulnerable people in the state.
He said this was through the state’s Commissioner for Social Development, Mrs Abosede Burahimo, and that of Women’s Affairs, Folashade Opeyemi.
Ojeifo thereafter presented some relief materials on behalf of the Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr Bashir Adeniyi, to the Kwara Ministry of Social Development.
“We are aware that the ministry is not a revenue-generating ministry and only benefits from monthly allocations from the State Government.
”That is why we are recognising the tireless efforts of the ministry in serving the less privileged, the vulnerable and the disabled in the society,” the comptroller said.
Ojeifo said that the items donated include cartons of indomie noodles, spaghetti, sugar, toilet paper, semolina, cartons of tin and sachet milk.
”These are all aimed at providing relief, comfort, support, and hope to those who have been affected by specific crises or challenges.”
Responding on behalf of the state government, Burahimo lauded the support and promised that the items would be judiciously shared to the needy.
Ojeifo said the command also gave out empowerment equipment to the Customs Officers’ Wives Association.
“After months of extensive training of registered wives and widows of Customs officers in different empowerment training programmes, such as baking, cosmetics, sewing, and other skills acquisition, today under my leadership, we are empowering 67 wives and widows of Customs officers with sewing machine, baking oven and make-up kits.
“The aim of the empowerment is to keep you busy, self-dependent and productive while we are far away from home, which will no doubt reduce the burden of always waiting on your husbands,” the Comptroller said.
(NAN)
By Afusat Agunbiade-Oladipo