The Nigeria Customs Service, Port Harcourt Area One command
said it generated N24.56 billion as revenue between January and June.

The Public Relations Officer of the command, Mr. Harry
Samuel, told newsmen in Port Harcourt that the bulk of the revenue in the
period under review came from import duties.

Samuel said that the command’s revenue profile in the first
half of the year had positioned it to surpass the N48 billion annual revenue
target set for the command by the customs headquarters in Abuja.

“The command under the leadership of our Area Comptroller
has been working hard to ensure that we achieved the revenue target given by
the customs headquarters.

“We are very optimistic that we will surpass that target
before the end of this year,” he said.

According to Samuel, the command generated N10.62 billion in
June and averaged more than N3 billion in the other months under consideration.

“The port under Area one command is a user friendly one. We
are encouraging importers to use it to bring their cargoes.

“It is a bulk cargo port, but containerised goods can also
be brought in,” he said.

Samuel said that the command had a policy of clearing valid
goods within 48 hours, adding that it also “has zero tolerance for contraband
goods”.

On the port’s community, Samuel also said that the command
maintained cordial relationship with the importers, clearing agents and other
port users.

“We dialogue and interact with them regularly on the way
forward and how to ensure smooth operations at the port,” he said.