The Federal Government has received a letter from freight forwarders operating at the Seme Border requesting that the border be opened for the importation of vehicles.
This information was revealed in Seme during a meeting between representatives of Nigeria and Benin that was organized by the Economic Community of West African States by Ibrahim Musa, director of road transport for the Federal Ministry of Transportation.
He said that during the former Minister of State for Transportation’s most recent trip to the border, freight forwarders made a request for the border to be reactivated.
According to him, the Federal Executive Council gave its approval to a memo that was created and delivered to the federal government in response to the request.
According to the director, FEC made a commitment to give the new administration full authority over the decision to reopen the border.
Customs Seizes 10,865 Kegs Of Gasoline In Seme
He said, “I was here with the former Minister of State for Transportation and the freight forwarders pleaded that the border should be reactivated for free movement of goods and services. The minister made us prepare a memo to that effect. It was considered and sent to the government.”
Also speaking at the event, the Customs Area Controller in charge of Seme Command, Dera Nnadi, said the service had noticed a reduction in its revenue since the importation of vehicles was banned from the land borders.
He said, “The Honorable Minister of Transportation, the immediate past one, responding to some of our requests and from the stakeholders, promised to take them to the Federal Executive Council; one of them is how to fully open this border.”
Nnadi also said illegal checkpoints along the border corridors have been dismantled by customs, while the Border Control unit of the Nigerian Police Force has promised to do the same.
He urged the Federal Government to complete the highway from Lagos to Seme Border, saying the completion would grow trade and investment in the Abidjan-Lagos corridor.
The Seme Customs boss maintained that the corridor is important for the growth of trade, investment, cultural diversity, and peace in West Africa and the whole of Africa.
Comptroller Nnadi who is also a Co-chair of the Joint Border Post said, “Abidjan-Lagos Corridor is an important corridor for trade among West African countries, a melting point where our people share culture and religion. It is a very important place where we maintain relationships and peace with ourselves. It is important to keep the corridor alive. We appreciate ECOWAS for its contribution to the growth of business in the corridor. While appreciating the Federal Ministry of Transportation for the ongoing rehabilitation of the highway, if the road is complete, it will improve trade.”
Follow us on facebook
Post Disclaimer
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author and forum participants on this website do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of Anaedo Online or official policies of the Anaedo Online.