Tiko customs battling to meet revenue targets

The Chief of the Customs Unit at the Tiko Wharf has expressed confidence that he and his team will surely turn over FCFA half a billion into the State coffers before this year folds up.

Danglady Aboubakar was speaking to the press after emerging from a strategising meeting with his collaborators at his Tiko office.

The age-old Tiko Wharf is one of the main revenue generating points for the State within the Tiko Subdivision. It is through this age-old facility that goods, such as sand for the construction of houses dug from the Mungo River, is exported to neighbouring countries like Equatorial Guinea. The big Nigerian and Cameroonian business communities in Tiko also import some of their wares from Nigeria via the Tiko Wharf.

It is from the above transactions, and many others, that the Tiko Customs relies on to collect duties for the State.

But the Chief of the Tiko Customs Unit told the press that this task has not been easy, given the daunting conditions and challenges that his co-workers have to go through. He said the Customs service has not got an office inside the Wharf or some form of shelter and, as such, his officers have to brave it under the sun and rain to do their job.

Besides, there has been the problem of the lack of space for business persons to store their wares. He, nevertheless, disclosed that a warehouse was being constructed which, when completed, will lay to rest the problem and, invariably, increase their revenue collection base.

Despite the shortcomings, he said his office had to institute the holding of monthly meetings, which they have been using to evaluate their monthly progress as well as chart ways of overcoming their difficulties in their march towards meeting the revenue collection business for the growth of the State.

He said his unit has already hit 80 percent of what it has to produce for this year. “For the months of August and September, we have had an average monthly collection of FCFA 65 million,” the Chief said.

Given the current security scare caused by the Boko Haram insurgency in the northern parts of Northern Nigeria, the Chief said they have also stepped up measures and schooled themselves on how best to improve on security within the wharf.

For instance, thorough checks are now carried on all hand luggage and all suspicious goods to ensure no harmful or illegal item slips through. He called on all his agents to ensure a spirit of professionalism in the exercise of their duties.