One good attribute that is easily acknowledged to mankind as the surest way to success is hard work. It wins hearts as well as opens doors.
This explains why parents would often remind their children to be hard-working and not depart from it. Similarly, leaders of nations would encourage their citizens to be hard-working if they want their countries to be developed. In effect, great nations are achieved through hard work.
For the Area Controller of the TinCan Island Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Comptroller Frank Onyeka, there has been a clear display of hard work since he assumed office. Onyeka who appointed in December 2024 started by preaching hard work and followed it up. For observers, he has since the past nine months exerted a lot of efforts to succeed and is adjudged as successful in all ramifications as far as the vision of trade facilitation and revenue generation by the Customs Service for the federal government is concerned.
This explains why the League of Maritime Editors (LOME) on Tuesday this week decided to honour him along with other recipients. Onyeka was bestowed with Gold Award for Excellent Leadership. For LOME, it was in recognition of his glaring commitment to leadership qualities which have helped in promoting trade facilitation and collection of more revenue from the Tin Can Island port. Since his appointment Onyeka has shown his strong belief in transparency and stakeholders engagement.
On assuming office, he has focused more on promotion of service efficiency, trade facilitation and revenue collection. While promoting trade, Onyeka has fought anti-smuggling to a standstill in what has led to seizures running into billions of Naira.
The TinCan Customs Controller believes so much on the power of technology and this explains his zeal in implementing the blockchain and the B’Odogwu systems.
As part of the efforts to facilitate trade, Onyeka declared early enough his determination to end age-long tradition of multiple alert systems for which importers and customs agents have been complaining about. The scenario was a situation in which containers earlier cleared from the system could be stopped at the gate or shortly after the gate over excuses of multiple alerts. This is one policy that has endeared him so much to the stakeholders.
As at the first half of this year, June, the TinCan Command of the Customs has been able to collect as much as N747.079bn. Onyeka told members of League few months back that the Command has been doing everything possible to promote trade facilitation at the ports for the economic wellbeing of all Nigerians. The Controller explained that part of the measures put in place is to introduce ‘policy of collectable revenue instead of maximum revenue’.
According to him, this is in line with present administration’s renewed hope agenda for Nigerians, adding that this is specifically aimed at promoting and encouraging quick turnover for the importers.
Onyeka while talking about the decision on multiple alerts, added that this led to the emphasis placed on examination of containers as very necessary to check how compliant the traders are, adding that this has given the Command the needed result.
However, he is quick in making it clear to customs agents that promoting trade facilitation does not mean joking with observation of rules and regulations in trade.
He explained that the Command spends time to create awareness on the need to keep to the rules of the game, assuring that those who are compliant with trade rules are not choked.
He further explained that once containers are opened for examination, and there is compliance, clearance of such goods is not delayed.
He said during an engagement, “We do this to promote trade. We have the support of the trading community. We are also working to ensure that the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda’ on trade succeeds. What we preach is that importers keep to the rules and regulations. By this we talk to our partners, importers and freight forwarders to be compliant if they want the best.”
Stating that he has done about 98 percent of what he is supposed to do as a Controller, Oneyka is full of optimism that the Command will meet its N1.5trillion revenue target for the year considering the revenue figure already recorded. He also reveals that his Command has been enjoying tremendous support from the CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi to succeed in given mandate.
Credit: ShippingDayLife
