President Goodluck Jonathan has advised Customs agencies in the world to look beyond their statutory roles trade regulation, promotion and revenue collection and join in the global war against terrorism.
President Goodluck Jonathan has advised Customs agencies in the world to look beyond their statutory roles trade regulation, promotion and revenue collection and join in the global war against terrorism.
The President told delegates to the 119th/120th sessions of the Customs Co-operation Council/World Customs Organisation (WCO) which held in Brussels, Belgium last week that the war against terrorism and other associated vices such as proliferation of light weapons, narcotics and smuggling would be more result-oriented if customs administrations globally can collaborate more to enforce regulations.
Jonathan who informed the delegates that he had served in the Customs service in the early years of his life also dwelt on what Nigeria is doing to overcome the challenges that Customs services in developing countries face, including bringing Nigeria’s Customs law in line with international best practices such as the WCO Revised Kyoto Convention.
He was later to deposit Nigeria’s instrument of accession to the Convention with the Secretary General of the WCO,Mr Kunio Mikuriya and also shared his reflections on the transformation of the trade environment and the role of Customs, including the WCO, over the years.
Commenting on the WCO’s Connectivity theme for 2012, the President said, “I urge that connectivity, and all that it connotes, remains the eternal ethos of not only all Customs administrations across the world, but of all of the world’s governments and peoples, as we collectively strive to evolve a more secure, just, equitable, peaceful and prosperous world.”
The WCO Secretary General also praised President Jonathan for his support and commitment towards modernizing the Nigeria Customs Service, highlighting the critical role political support plays in giving momentum to the Customs reform process.
Also commenting, the Belgian Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Vanackere said, “let’s not shy away from making our Customs procedures ever more efficient,” declared Minister in his address. Underscoring that, “Customs is instrumental in creating a better world, as the delivery of an efficient Customs service is strongly interconnected with economic growth.”
Facilitating trade while safeguarding the country “requires a constant, innovative rethinking of existing Customs procedures” indicated the Minister, and with Belgium Customs on the verge of in-depth reform, he said that “In the near future, Customs will be open 24/7 and charges for services provided after office hours will be lifted, making it attractive to trade.”.
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