The Board and Management of the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company Plc, nahco aviance, have assured the Nigerian Customs Service that its ultramodern and automated warehouse which is to be commissioned by the President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan this week, Thursday 31st May, 2012, has inbuilt facilities and processes that will enhance its revenue collection.
According to the company, the warehouse being the first, largest and most automated in the sub-SaharanAfrica, will prevent pilfering of goods, leakages in revenue collection and most importantly enhance efficiency and professionalism.
These assurances were given Thursday, 24th May, 2012 when the leadership of the company led by the Chairman of its Board, Sen.(General) Ike Nwachukwu, paid a courtesy visit on the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, Dikko Indi Abdullahi in his office.
The delegation disclosed that the warehouse, built at the cost of over 25million United States dollars, is modeled after top range warehouses in America, Kenya and Amsterdam pointing out that nahco aviance was prepared to give the Nigeria Customs Service all the cooperation needed to ensure full payment and collection of duties. “We are here to seek your support and cooperation, help you make more money for the government”, General Nwachukwu, the Chairman of nahco aviance said.
The Comptroller General was commended for the deployment of the new Customs Area Comptroller in Lagos Cargo Terminal, Mr Eporwei Edike, whom they described as ‘breath of fresh air’ due to the professionalism he has brought to bear in his new assignment since his assumption of duties.
Responding, the Comptroller General, Mr Abdullahi Dikko, said that the new leadership under his charge was poised to plug all leakages in the collection of duties payable to government stressing that it will not spare any effort to sanction any individual, its officers inclusive, found to be sabotaging that resolve.
Mr Abdullahi disclosed that the service has got the nod of the Presidency to solicit the assistance of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC in recovering over N45billion underpayment from the licensed clearing agents which occurred in theLagoscargo terminal alone and prosecute all those found culpable.
He enjoined nahco aviance to assist officers and men of the service in the discharge of their duties by demanding for the correct airway bills of any consignment coming into that terminal regretting that some individuals have constituted themselves into menaces at theLagoscargo terminal.
The Comptroller General said that the Customs Service was investing a lot in educating the officers on the procedures to be followed warning that nothing but best practices are acceptable.
The nahco aviance delegation included the Managing Director /CEO of the company, Mr Kayode T. Oluwasegun-Ojo, Vice Chairman of the Board, Alhaji Suleiman Yahyah and Dr Faruk Umar, a member of the Board of Directors.
