The Seme Border Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has said that the newly-commissioned Joint Border Post by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) at the Seme border will enhance border security and seamless facilitation of legitimate trade, in tandem with the executive order on the ease of doing business.
This is even as the Customs Area Controller of Seme Command; Compt . Mohammed Aliyu said that the command raked-in N575, 623,365.00 as revenue in July, 2018. He also said that the technical simulation and handover of the Joint Border Post by the ECOWAS took place on Friday, 27th July 2018.
Shipping Position Daily correspondent reports that the $4.5 billion joint border facility is to be jointly operated by Nigeria and Benin Republic, with increased hopes of smoother trade across West Africa and with third party countries. The post was opened for preliminary operations today, ahead of the official launch in September.
In a press statement signed by Assistant Superintendent of Customs Saidu Nuruddeen Abdullahi for the Public Relations Officer, the Customs Area Controller assures that the Joint Border Post will serve as a platform that will simplify Customs procedures while increasing cooperation, collaboration, coordination and harmonious working relationships at the border post.
The anti-smuggling operation of the Command also made Ninety-one (91) seizures with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of One Hundred and Thirty Million, Eight Hundred and Ninety nine Thousand, Five Hundred and Eighteen Naira only (N130, 899,518.00) for the period under review.
Commenting on the revenue figure, the Customs Area Controller (CAC) Compt. Mohammed Aliyu said to have expressed satisfaction over the figure generated as he made the assertion that the revenue generated represented about 85 percent of the revenue target budgeted for the command.
Reports show that Nigeria will be the better for the joint border initiative. The total trade of the West African region is about $300 billion.
Exports are projected at approximately $137.3 billion, while imports total about $80.4 billion. The main active countries in trade are Nigeria, which alone accounts for approximately 76 per cent of total trade, followed by Ghana (9.2 per cent) and Côte d’Ivoire (8.64 per cent).
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