*Facilitates movement of ETLS: 425 Trucks with fees amounting to N314,720,938.71
By; RAYMOND TEDUNJAYE, Lagos
The Seme Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has handed over to appropriate sister agencies, some seized items at the border.
Among the items were the fake $6million seized by the Command few weeks ago, international passports of other countries and hides and skins of animals.
The $6m fake Dollars was handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) representative, ACE, Micheal Wetkas, while the seized international passports, driving license and animal skins were handed over to Comptroller of Immigration at the Seme Border, Comptroller Douglas Tanko Audu and Dr. Nurudeen Audu, Coordinator of NAFDAC Seme Border respectively.
The Comptroller, Dera Nnadi, who handed over the items, also used the occasion to brief the media on the first quarter performance of the command.
According to him, though there is low volume of trade at the border due to the harsh policy of the Benin Republic on transit goods and the cashless policy of Nigeria, it takes a minimum of two hours to process export trucks through the command.
He disclosed that the Command generated a total of N350, 099,541.71 in the first quarter of 2023. The amount is N105,095,708.76 or 23.09% in shortfall of N455,195,250,.47 collected in the corresponding period on 2022.
Comptroller Nnadi attributed the deficit to lull in activities during the cashless policy and the wait by the traders for the outcome of the general elections.
He said that on his assumption of office at the border, he pledged to adopt new strategies. “Upon my resumption, I pledged to adopt new strategies to boost trade, while enforcing the nation’s anti-smuggling laws along the Abidjan- Lagos Corridor (ALCO) in line with the ECOWAS protocols on free movement of goods and persons.
“I promise to encourage compliant traders along the corridor, while enforcing the law against inflexible offenders, who will wish to test our resolve. In line with keeping to these promise, the command has in the first quarter of 2023, facilitated the movement of ETLS: 425 Trucks with fees amounting to N314, 720, 938.71, 412 baggage declarations with duty amounting to N58, 844,382. The items imported under this arrangement include food products and beverages produced within the sub-region”
For exports, a total of 1,243 trucks bearing 40,096.47 metric tons of made in Nigeria cargo declared on 165 Single Administrative Documents (SAD) with Free On Board value of N4, 291,322,887.19 and National Export Supervision Scheme Fess ( NESS) of N21, 456,551.83K.
Comparing the figures with the same period in 2022, a total of 3006 trucks bearing 116,053.9 metric tons of cargo with FOB value of N6, 597, 506, 993.28K with NESS Fee of N32, 989,006.16 was recorded.
Comptroller Nnadi said ” regrettably there is a shortfall in export to the tune of 75,000 metric tons of cargo due to competition between Dangote Cement and competitors in the cement market at Togo”.
He said ” Also recalled that I had earlier informed you that the economic policy of the Republic of Benin who charge fees on goods in transit to Nigeria constitute tariff barriers to trade along the corridor. This affected the Commands revenue and need urgent review.
“One of the core mandates of the Service in Seme as well as elsewhere is trade facilitation. The Command is conscious of its strategic location as the foremost frontier for trade and tourism in West and Central Africa particularly the ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) and the emerging African Continental Free Tade Area (AfCFTA).
“Nigeria has lots of potentials in both trade regimes considering its GDP, population and industrial capacity which is the highest in the West and Central Africa subregion and indeed Africa.
” However, I wish to repeat as I had earlier mentioned in my previous interactions with the media that the major source of revenue of the Command (import/export) have not been enhanced since the opening of the Land Borders as directed by the Federal Government of Nigeria as the traders are still bracing with the challenges of having been out of business for over two years.
“Where few have embraced the reality of the circumstances, they have requested and appealed for a review of the process of obtaining approvals for re-exportation which requires that they go to Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning at Abuja for every application for re-exportation”, he said
On anti-smuggling and Enforcement activities, Comptroller Nnadi said a secured border will translate to more revenue even at the sea ports. The Command within the period seized fake $6m which was handed over to the EFCC today.
Also seized were 2, 242 bags of 50kg rice equivalent to 112,100 kg or four trailer loads of foreign par boiled with Duty Paid Value of N72, 700, 480. 7, 587 by 30 liters of Premium Motor Spirit ( PMS) equivalent of 227,610 litres or Seven Tanker loads of PMS with duty paid value of N51, 075, 684 and 550 pieces of donkey skin with Duty Paid Value of N10, 689,504.
Others are Six Maltese International Passports with the same picture of a lady but bearing different names, two Senegalese International Passports , threeTogolese International Passports, Four Republic of Benin International Passports, One Republic of Niger International Passport and Ten International Driving License of these various countries which was handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service on the orders of the CGC and in line with the Service desire to consolidate the synergy between NCS and partner agencies.
Also seized by the Command is 1160 pieces of dead rats, 1102 pieces of dead tiny birds and 34 pieces of monkey skin and 14 parcels of cannabis sativa.
Nnadi again said, “The Command will continue to dialogue, engage, sensitize and educate the public on social/economic implication of smuggling as well as performing statutory function of enforcing compliance in line with government fiscal policies.
“For this we are once more calling on stakeholders in the Seme Krake Corridor and beyond to prepare to embrace AfCFTA while consolidating on the gains ETLS.
” I thank our stakeholders for their support. It is gratifying to note that we are all on the same page on the need to improve on our relationship with a view to maximize the opportunities offered the proximity of the State to the border and develop trade in Lagos State”, he said .
By way of encouragement, Comptroller Dera Nnadi rewarded the galllant officers who effected the seizures with Customs uniforms, boots and other accoutrements.
The high point of the event was the heading over of the $6m fake Dollars to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission ( EFCC) representative, ACE, Micheal Wetkas. While the Seized International passports, driving license and animal skins were handed over to Comptroller of Immigration at the Seme Border, Comptroller Douglas Tanko Audu and Dr Nurudeen Audu Coordinator of NAFDAC Seme Border,
