The federal government should strengthen the Nigerian Customs Service(NCS) in its bid to augment the nation’s dwindling fortunes occasioned by falling price of crude oil at the international market in order to adequately finance this year’s budget, a public affairs commentator, Alhjai Yusuf Sani Yarsanta has advocated.
In a statement issued to newsmen yesterday, Yar’santa praised the Comptroller- General of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko Inde-led administration for raking in over N3 trillion into the country’s coffers in the last three years.
The statement which noted that the Customs Service was collecting between N850 billion and N622 billion in the last three years, noted that the revenue collected can still be improved upon if Nigerians pay the necessary duties for imported goods.
According to him, since the Customs Service took over the management of destination inspection in 2013, an average of 22,500 clearances have been issued per month as against 15,000 per month when the three appointed clearing agents were handling the exercise.
Yar’santa attributed the success of both destination inspection and revenue earnings to the improved efficiency of the Customs Service under Inde, adding that officers and men were being regularly trained.