Legitimate trades will boost my revenue target – Comptroller Onyeka

Comptroller Frank Onyeka, Customs Area Controller, Tin Can Island Port Command, Nigeria Customs Service

The Customs Area Controller, Tin Can Island Port Command, Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Frank Onyeka says facilitation of legitimate trades will help his command to meet and surpass its revenue target.

Onyeka made this known while receiving the executives of the Maritime Reporters’ Association of Nigeria (MARAN) who visited him at the command’s headquarters in Tin Can Island Port, Lagos, last week.

He revealed that he has secured the buy-in of his officers to ensure that the trust reposed in him by the Service management is not dashed.

“I will facilitate trade, but it has to be legitimate trade. That is what I feel I should do in the strict sense.

“You know, I am coming from the aspect of revenue. So, it is my prayer and my hope to meet my target and surpass it.

“But principally, what I am going to fight is the ability to do this job without examination. I have appealed to my officers, whatever it is they have to do, let them see the containers. Once we have examined them, everything should be on cruise control. Because if you examine, you will now know if it is supposed to go out or not.

“I have involved Customs Intelligence Unit. I have involved Valuation Unit. I have spoken to all relevant Units. And it is my prayer, by the grace of God, that all of us will be on the same page to make sure that the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is brought to fruition,” he noted.

He expressed gratitude to the Comptroller General of Customs, CG Bashir Adewale Adeniyi for the confidence reposed in him and vowed never to disappoint him.

“I also appreciate the fact that our indefatigable Comptroller General Of Customs, CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi for whom I am very grateful. He needs to be made to know that he didn’t make any mistake for him to have brought me here.

“I am very grateful to him and his management team, and I need to make him proud,” he enthused.

Comptroller Onyeka also vowed to build on the foundation laid by his predecessor, Assistant Comptroller General Dera Nnadi.

“In Anti-smuggling, he did well. In revenue generation, he did superbly well, same goes for infrastructure development.

“His Public Relations was top-notch, which I’m going to leverage. He was fortunate to have what I consider a very fantastic rapport with the media because that’s his background. I intend to leverage that. I intend to do better in that aspect,” he added.

In his address, the President of MARAN, Mr Godfrey Bivbere expressed the willingness of the association to partner with the CAC and the Command to achieve the target ahead of the command.

He reiterated the firm resolution of the association to accord Comptroller Onyeka the same support accorded to his predecessor.

Photo: Mr. Godfrey Bivbere, President of MARAN (fifth from left), and Comptroller Frank Onyeka, Customs Area Controller (fifth from right) with executive members of MARAN during the visit.