The Badagry Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and
Agriculture (BACCIMA) representatives on the delegation of the Comptroller
General of Nigeria Customs Service working visit to the Republic du Benin were
DCG Abiodun Towanu Hundeyin Rtd. Chairman Elders Advisory Council, who stands
in for the President/Chairman Executive Council, Alhaji Fatai Adegboyega
Shokunbi and the Director-General Mr. Emmanuel Essien.
The first point of call was the Nigeria Embassy in
Cotonou, where DCG Abiodun Hundeyin Rtd. chaired the meeting of all delegates
from Nigeria which includes Alhaji Salami Alasoadura, Alhaji Lasisi Bisiriyu
Fanu, Heads of license customs agents and other stakeholders to harmonize the
demands of the Nigeria business communities which would be tabled at the
discussions with the Republic du Benin counterparts.
DCG Abiodun Hundeyin Rtd. exhibited crass leadership and exemplary
statesmanship to resolve contentious issues brought forward by the
representatives and together with Alhaji Salami Alasoadura harmonized the
demands for effective presentations, and formidable demands that would address
most of the main challenges that is setting back the growth of trade between
Nigeria and Republic du Benin.
Some of the major items discussed for presentation were
i. Removal of all Local Charges that is not a
part of recognized goods in Transit Tariff
ii. Issues bothering on ETLS must be resolved
iii. Deposit of 4Million CFA on each Container must
be abolished
iv. Abolishment of 40,000 CFA deductions from the
4M CFA deposit on refund
v. Double duties for
goods must be abolished as goods meant for Transit must not be made to pay same
Tariff for goods for consumption in Republic du Benin.
vi. Multiple and outrageous tariff on agricultural
produce must be abolished and whatever tariff must be reflective of what is
paid in neighboring Countries.
vii. Removal of Seal on Containers must be stopped
by the Republic du Benin Customs.
viii. Lifting of ban on Vehicles importation through
Seme Border.
All the stakeholders
choose Alhaji Lasisi Bisiriyu Fanu to be our spokesperson during presentations
to avoid duplicity of efforts lacking in cohesion and unclear demands.
After the stakeholders
meeting, another meeting was held with the Nigeria Ambassador to Republic du
Benin, His Excellency, Ambassador Olukayode Aluko.
He was happy to see the
quality delegation from BACCIMA headed by DCG Abiodun Hundeyin Rtd. and the
Director-General. He expresses his happiness that the visit is given the
highest possible attention that it deserves.
During the consultations with him, demands were presented to him. He said most of these demands are already on his own list for presentation to the Comptroller General when he comes visiting before the joint meeting of stakeholders from the two countries and promised to ensure that the Comptroller General address the delegates before we go to the main venue for the joint consultative meeting at the Novotel Hotel, Cotonou.
The Comptroller General
of the Nigeria Customs Service Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR after his official
meeting with the Nigeria Ambassador to the Republic du Benin, His Excellency
Ambassador Olukayode Aluko in his office came to address us.
He stressed that all our demands have been tabled before him by His Excellency and those demands are part of the wider demands that they have and that every demand would be looked into on their merits and they would all be resolved.
He assured that the
President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and his counterpart of the
Republic du Benin has agreed to work together and their determinations are not
in doubt.
He enjoined everyone to
work together to remove all barriers that led in the first instance to create a
reason for the border closure.
He requested for a
synergy by the local communities with the relevant agencies in the fight
against smuggling and other vices that can create setbacks for both countries
enforcement agencies.
He wishes us a happy deliberation and we all left for the dialogue venue at the Novotel Hotel, Cotonou.
The meeting has in attendance all invitees from both
countries and their relevant agencies.
Co-chaired by the Director-General of Republic du Benin
Customs and the Comptroller of the Nigeria Customs Service.
In his welcoming address, the Director-General of the Republic du Benin Customs welcome his Nigeria counterpart to the meeting and reiterated his Presidents determination to promote the growth of trade in the region. He promised that they would work together with all the seriousness that it demands.
In his own welcoming remarks, the Comptroller of the
Nigeria Customs Service Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, said it was imperative to
work closely with his Beninese counterpart to resolve most of the issues that
is bedeviling trade in the region. He said his mandate is to ensure all that is
necessary to be done is done on the Nigeria side of the Border and hoped that
we can all work together to achieve this.
