Rivers ports: N28bn agro-allied products exported in 2019

The export of agro-allied goods from Onne, Rivers State rose to N28.421 billion in 2019. Customs Authority in charge of Area II Command has said.

The Command said the amount was realized from 255,407 metric tonnes of agroallied goods processed for export in 2019. It said the value of the goods exported through the command had Free On Board (FOB) value of $78,402,057 equivalent to 28.420bn at a 362.5 per dollar exchange rate.

The Command also generated N107.34bn from duty paid on imported goods in 2019. The revenue surpassed its annual target of N95.7bn for last year by about N11.6bn, representing 112 percent of its target.

The Customs Area Controller of the Command, Comptroller Aliyu Galadima Saidu, in a statement yesterday said N94.044bn was realized in Year 2018 and that the revenue generation increased by 14% in 2019. Saidu said the Command made 24 seizures with Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1.278bn.

He explained that the seizures were made due to wrong documentation, false declarations, wrong classifications, concealments and non-provision of end user certificates for the imported machetes.

The Comptroller advised those involved in such unpatriotic behavior to desist from it, and warned that the command will not spare anyone as efforts will be intensified in locating and investigating the economic saboteurs.

Saidu also expressed appreciation to the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd.) and his management team for their consistent encouragement and support; while reassuring continued resilience and diligence of officers and men of the Command in carrying out all statutory responsibilities without compromise.