CG plans meeting with Customs from neighbouring countries to boost trade facilitation
Rising from the just concluded African Customs Summit hosted by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, the Comptroller General of Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Hameed Ali has given indication that he will convene a strategy meeting with all six neighbouring countries.
He said the essence of the meeting is to build a corridor of security that will facilitate regional trade amongst the neighbours.
According to him, nations that will be invited include Cameroon, Niger, Togo, Chad, Benin Republic and Ghana.
Earlier in his welcome address at the Summit in Abuja, Ali said time has come for African Customs to track developments at the global scale and match performance to avoid being left behind among the comity of nations.
According to him, trade facilitation roles are becoming prominent in the activities of Customs everywhere in the world and Nigerian and Africa in general will not lag behind on their duties.
In her opening remarks, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun called on African Customs operatives to improve on revenue generation and protection of Africa against illicit imports for safety and protection of indigenous industries, saying government on its part, will continue to roll out sustainable fiscal and trade policies that will drive growth and stable economy in Africa.
In an interview, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Customs and Excise, Chief Hope Uzodinmma called on Customs to deepen trade facilitation in a way and manner it will not lead to the collapse of indigenous industries.
