The Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd.) has called for the review of the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and the trade agreements between the republic of Benin and Nigeria with a view to bringing them in conformity with internationally accepted standards in trade, between countries.
Ali who made this call while on a working visit to Cotonou emphasized that both countries must address issues of dumping and smuggling across our borders.
He observed that Borders were imaginary as far as ECOWAS was concerned, and that the Customs administrations must honestly work hard, to ensure that trade between ECOWAS countries were without unnecessary hindrances.
The Customs boss went further to say that the different countries’ Customs must also cooperate and forge an understanding to move goods and services seamlessly, between countries in West Africa.
He promised to bring up the challenges for discussion, especially that of the commonly traded items like Rice, vehicles, etc and find solutions to the numerous complaints made to the embassy and also, arising from other stakeholders meetings held earlier.
Col. Ali warned stakeholders to desist from unwholesome practices that impede trade facilitation across international borders advising that everybody involved in the business of trading across West African countries must read the ETLS protocol and understand the laws as it affects their trade, and challenge Customs whenever they feel marginalized.
He lamented the loss of seventy officers while combating smuggling within Idi Iroko and Seme areas notingthat the biggest problem confronting Nigeria Customs service till date was the lack of compliance on the part of traders, who make dishonest declarations.
Speaking earlier, the Charge de Affairs, Madam Beatrice welcomed the CGC and his team to the embassy and said that the purpose of the interaction was to seek ways and means of ironing out the numerous problems affecting the free flow of trade between Benin Republic and Nigeria.
She said the embassy has been bombarded with series of complains by traders and stakeholders even as she hoped that with the presence of the CGC, a lasting solution would be found.
Also contributing, the National President of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Prince Olayiwola Shittu who led a delegation of some National and chapter executives to participate in the program, in his address drew the attention of the CGC to the expensive nature of doing business across the Benin-Nigeria border.
In his words: “Cost of transiting ETLS (ECOWAS Goods) from Ghana to Lagos needs to be checked, to provide room for trade facilitation and trade competitions within the West African sub region. That is, a truck of ETLS cargo from Ghana pays 300,000cfa to exit Ghana into Togo and pays 400,000cfa to exit Togo into Benin Republic, the same truck will be charged 2,800,000cfa to exit Benin Republic into Nigeria, for reasons best known to Benin Republic Customs”.
Shittu also drew the CGC’s attention to the real trade de-facilitators across the borders adding that the multiplicity of security agencies were further aggravating the expenses incurred in transiting cargoes across the borders, demanding a review of these agencies drastically downwards.
The ANLCA Chief seized the opportunity to plead with the CGC to intervene on the exchange rate matter, even as he acknowledges that it’s a Federal Government of Nigeria policy issue pointing out that imports were drying up fast because of the unfriendly policy as it was robbing government of much needed revenue and threatening thousands of jobs.
On the issue of DTI closures, the ANLCA President urged the CGC to hasten the process of allocating passwords to 2016 renewed Customs licenses, as most jobs have been left hanging, with the abrupt shutdown again of commercial DTIs.
He noted that the private DTIs would ensure that particular licenses were immediately held responsible, whenever infractions occur.
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