Aside being a game changer in revenue collection and improved compliance, the Area Controller of Apapa command of Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Babajide Jaiyeoba is a lover of beautiful and perfectly cosy environment.
His love for aesthetic architectural work explains the new look of Apapa Customs Command’s building.
There had been efforts in the past to renovate the building of Customs premier command in the country but not in this present magnitude.
Those who are just visiting the command after a long time would agree with the fact that Comptroller Jaiyeoba has literally turned the Customs building to an architectural masterpiece.
Looking at the building from a distance one would think that the old building was demolished and a new architectural beauty just emerged from the underground.
However, no part of the old building was demolished or collapsed but was given excellent professional architectural design with shingles that distinguishes it as a master stroke.
Jaiyeoba’s love for aesthetic beauty is not as much as his love for total compliance and adherence to cargo clearance procedures.
His knack for thoroughness and unbending resolve to keep to the rules of the game made the command to record an outstanding performance of over 100% collection in the first quarter of this year.
The command under him generated N489,614,095,022.15 as total revenue for the first quarter of 2024, which is over a hundred per cent higher than the N212.5b collected during the corresponding period of 2023.
Only an accomplished administrator and a skilled driver of men can achieve that much at a time the national currency was experiencing free fall which largely affected import business.
The command is expected to collect almost two trillion naira in 2024 and the first quarter performance has shown that it is attainable.
Jaiyeoba, an apostle of honest declaration has always enjoined stakeholders to
play by the rules to achieve smoother, seamless, and faster import/export cargo clearance.
In his words: “Making honest declaration puts the declarant at a vantage position to have a credible reputation and enjoy the benefits that come with earned integrity such as fast track and possible migration to the authorised economic operator(AEO).
“Such attitude of compliance saves time and money as examination officers would find the cargo less cumbersome to process and other units of the service including sister government organisations would not need to flag such cargo for seizure or arrest of the importers/exporters. The cargo gets cleared on time, and payments for penalties after demand notices are not necessary as no DN is issued on compliant import/export.
PHOTO: The new look of Apapa Customs building.