The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and Benin Republic Customs administration have launched a new technology known as ‘connectivity’ to eradicate fraudulent acts and smuggling within the two borders.
It is expected that the technology will address all issues relating to trade, security and revenue, and will fast- track and facilitate trade between the two countries.
Speaking at the official launch in Seme border on Thursday, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), comptroller general of Customs, said the new system would not only facilitate trade but would also stop the problems of fraudulent and illicit trafficking across the borders.
While urging importers to take opportunity of the technology to fast-track their trade, he called on the two countries’ Customs to be careful in handling the system so that it would not create an avenue for smuggling because all traders would begin to circumvent the system as they can’t falsify it.
“Benin Republic and Nigeria are almost like one state divided by imaginary border line. This is a unique development for both countries. This system will weed out all false declarations. If you want your imports and exports to be treated fast, you must make honest declarations,” he said.
He however advised both sides to tighten up against smuggling because lawless people may try to circumvent the system.
“We must block all entrances and exists where people can smuggle that will maximise this use of technology. From here we will move to Idiroko, Kamba and Jibya where we share borders with other countries,” he added.
On the benefits of the system, he urged all the trader partners to give the two countries’ Customs the maximum cooperation in ensuring that their documentation was correct and perfect.
He, therefore, urged importers and exporters to make sincere declarations because the system would not give access for manipulation or falsification.
However, Business Process explanations made by the technical team revealed that the system will involve information sharing and feedbacks from both ends.
The Nigerian Trade Portal domiciled in Abuja was used to demonstrate the workability of the system and process showing how transit goods declaration made in the Cotonou Port can be assessed at the Nigerian end.
Transit goods destined for Nigeria but landed in the port of Cotonou will have all relevant information about importer, nature of consignment, time of arrival , commodity code, commodity description, number of packages, marks , numbers and details about containers use.
Sacca Boco Innousa Charles, director general of Benin Republic Customs, who described the application as an answer to the problems Customs at the border stations have been facing for over 15 years, said they have constituted a committee that would work in the network of the joint border application.
“We are having this project with the giant of Africa and this project to become a model for the rest of Africa. Immigration and other stakeholders that should work in collaboration to actualize this project have been contacted,” he said.
Earlier, Benjamin Abe, the assistant comptroller general of Customs, project driver, said it was the first time French and English speaking countries decided to come together to do their businesses.
According to him, this will bring the desired change in the way the two Customs administrations would be doing their businesses especially in dealing with the issues of security, trade, and revenue using this emerging technology.
AMAKA ANAGOR-EWUZIE
