Post Clearance Audit: NCS Recovers N100.7m

The Post Clearance Audit Unit of the Nigeria Customs Services Zone “A” is wining the war against underpayment of correct duties on importations by some unscrupulous agencies and corporate bodies. It has recovered the whopping sum of N100, 747, 069.32 (One Hundred Million, Seven Hundred and Forty Seven Thousand, Sixty Nine naira and Thirty Two Kobo) as underpayment and false declaration within March –June from such agencies and corporate bodies.

The Customs Area Controller, Post Clearance Audit, Comptroller Gideon Aliyu lamented that several agencies and bodies were not paying correct duties on imports as classified under Customs Exercise Management Act to the Federal government.

Comptroller Aliyu, disclosed that the debit note (DN) of about N760,066,800. 44 kobo was recovered from the commands, Apapa, Tincan, Muritala Mohammed Airports and Lily Pond under Zone A of the customs Service.

A breakdown of the sum recovered showed that N16,165, 918.70 was recovered in March while N226,145, 421.00 DN uncovered and yet to be paid, N7, 229, 487.59 was collected in April while the sum of N178,337,226.09 was recorded out of the N178.3m recovered N7,446, 188. 61 was collected from Apapa premier port into federal government coffer. While N69, 905,364.51 was realised in June.

The Customs Area Controller said Apapa command has highest number of debit note raised as a result of rice importation, adding that PCA scheme of schedule is to reconcile and fast tracking as to block all areas of revenue leakage accruing to federal government.

He noted that issuing of DN after relishing of consignment is challenging as some agent may refuse to comply with the customs after taking home their goods, “though the PCA block some of these unreliable agency’s system to enable them response to the payment.

According to him, the PCA is making positive impact in revenue drive to get the agencies to pay the deficit but was worried that despite sensitizing the stakeholders about the need to pay correct duties and true declaration on goods imported, many importers did not comply with NCS.

Investigation also indicated that out of the outstanding debit note recorded from previous months accounted for N5, 619,333.90 and Muritala Mohammed Airport Command owned N514, 584.91 out of the N19,118, 140. 80 DN issued by the zonal office, N7, 419 44.88 was currently issued and recovered while the remaining amount was a back log.

Our investigation also indicated that Apapa Command has the highest debit note of N781, 712,702. 91 followed by MMIA with over N5,405,798.30.

It was also gathered that money recovered have been remitted to the federal government coffer on behalf of the customs by the import duty collection banks.

The Zone “A” of the customs with headquarters in Yaba-Lagos normally tops the revenue chart of the service zones in the country for the fact that it comprises Apapa, Tincan Island port. Which record the highest revenues and frauds on a yearly basis.