Customs still locked out but rent will be paid, says Ngangan

By LUKE KAMA
OUTSTANDING rental which has kept the PNG Customs Service employees locked out of their office for two weeks will be settled this week, Finance Secretary Dr Ken Ngangan says.
Ngangan told The National yesterday that the first lot of rental warrants had been received.
The landlord, Steamships Limited, said rental for the office had been outstanding from 2016.
“I signed off on paperwork today so payments should be out (today),” Ngangan said.
Meanwhile, an officer of PNG Customs Service said they managed to collect around K400 million in revenue over the Christmas and New Year period.
This has already been remitted to the Finance Department.
The official, who asked not to be named, told The National that the major source of revenue collected was on sea freight.
He said a lot of people did not understand the work carried out by Customs.
“Customs collect a lot of money and everyday remit money to the Finance Department,” he said.
“A big part of that money comes from sea freight payments.”
The official said it was therefore disappointing that as a major generator of State revenue, they had no office to operate from.
“The non-payment of rentals by the Government and the lockup of our office at Gordon is totally disappointing,” he said.
“Customs collected well over K400 million over the Christmas and the New Year which has been remitted to the Finance Department.”