Following LEADERSHIP’s report on high charges slammed on Nigerian-bound transit cargoes by the government of Benin Republic, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and its Benin Republic counterpart have agreed to address the multiple taxes slammed on transit cargoes along the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) corridor.
LEADERSHIP Weekend had reported that importers have lamented the high charges slammed on Nigerian-bound transit cargoes by the government of Benin Republic, making it impossible for them to bring in transit cargoes through the Seme land borders.
Nigeria currently pays about CFA2.2m as charges on 40ft transit containers, as against CFA500,000 paid by other neighbouring countries to move the same consignment out of their port.
Speaking during a working visit to Cotonou, on Monday, the acting comptroller general of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, said some decisions were reached between the two countries.
The Customs CG, who also visited Webb Fontaine, Port of Cotonou, Ministry of Economy and Finance, and had an interactive session with stakeholders, said part of the decisions were to harmonise the import prohibition policy to ensure that whatever was banned in Nigeria would also be banned in Benin.
“On the measures to be taken to ensure a good relationship between the two countries, there is a need to promote the ECOWAS Trade Liberalisation Scheme (ETLS) and the facilitation of the movement of goods and community products, in particular; ensure the removal of barriers and other obstacles to legitimate trade; establish customs units when the traffic justifies it; ensure strict compliance with transit rules and harmonise the list of products prohibited by the two countries.”
He went on: “There should be rapid integration of Nigeria into the Interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit (SIGMAT) which already includes the customs administrations of Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.”
Adeniyi pointed out that the two countries agreed to strengthen the fight against cross-border crime through cooperation, intelligence sharing, and the pooling of resources.
He said that Nigeria and the Benin Republic would be holding meetings twice a year to discuss matters of common interest.
“There will be the reactivation of the joint committee for monitoring trade and transit relations. Also there will be a revival of consultation frameworks of border customs units with the active participation of the private sector,” he said.
