In its renewed bid to facilitate trade and promote cross border transit regime between the Nigeria Customs Service and the Customs Administration of Republic of Benin, the Nigeria Customs Service last week handed over 5 Nissan Frontier vehicles to the Benin Republic Customs Administration as logistics support.
Speaking during the handing over ceremony at the Seme Border Station, the Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs Service, Alhaji Dikko Inde Abdullahi said that the gesture was in furtherance of the Service’s quest to reduce the smuggling of vehicles into the country without following the due customs process of clearing at the border station.
Abdullahi who was represented at the event by the Controller, Seme Border Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Mohammed Garba Ndalati further hinted that the gesture was also due to complaints of the Benin Republic customs administration over perceived constraints in escorting goods to the border.
According to him,” Today, another milestone is to be recorded in our timeline. This is to surmount the challenges encountered by our partners in progress, the Benin Customs in carrying out cross border relations.
“This herald a new era of continuous relationship into other areas of capacity building for the officers cadre and paving way for better management of our progress especially as regards the synergy of the projected interconnectivity of Customs Systems between the two administrations.
“By this gesture, the capacity and capability of the officers and men of the Benin Customs will certainly be enhanced”.
The customs boss observed that the recent visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to mark the 55th Independence anniversary of the Benin Republic, in his speech at the dinner reiterated the need for mutual, better economic and socio-cultural ties between the countries.
While he recalled that the World Customs Organization (WCO) theme for the celebration of International Customs Day 2014 was “Borders Divide, Customs Connect” and “Coordinated Border Management” as the theme for 2015, he however emphasized that the day’s event symbolizes a gesture that was in tune with the them.
“This gesture symbolizes the effort of the Federal Government in enhancing customs activities across the borders. On this note, I wish to especially commend the consistent efforts of His Excellency, the Nigerian Ambassdor to the Republic of Benin, Ambassador Lawrence Obisakin for the diplomatic networking and also to our counterparts from the Benin Republic, particularly the Director-General of the Benin Customs Administration for his co-operation and solidarity”, he stated.
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