Nigeria Customs Collaborates with UN-Habitat to fight Smuggling

Nigeria Customs Collaborates with UN-Habitat to fight Smuggling

ZAINAB JUNAID

In what seems to be a shinning light at the end of a dark tunnel for smugglers who have refused to desist from their nefarious activities now has a bleaking hope as the anti-smuggling activities of the Nigeria Customs Service has been backed up by the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, UN—Habitat.

The Customs was given the assurance of collaboration by the UN agency, when Ambassadors of the UN- Habitat led by Dr. Raymond Edoh, visited Acting Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR. at the Customs Headquarters, Abuja on Tuesday, 19 September 2023.

Ag. CGC who was delighted with this development, told the representatives of the agency that under his watch, the Service will implement every necessary action against saboteurs of Nigeria's economy to cripple their ‘illegitimate’ business of smuggling.

He said, “On behalf of the entire Management Team of the Nigeria Customs Service, I wish to inform you that we will partner with you in this campaign, and we will grant you all forms of support you may need to carry out this campaign — and I want to assign one of our amiable DCGs, Abba Kura, to work with you closely.”

He appreciated how they travelled from afar to intimate the Nigeria Customs Service of their campaign against smuggling, which, according to him, the Nigeria Customs Service has already started yielding positive results in suppressing the menace of smuggling.

The CGC also welcomed Dr Raymond's offer to engage officers and men of the Service in capacity—building to enhance their understanding of digital literacy skills, adding that the Service has already started embracing technology to advance its work by introducing related courses to officers.

The CGC appreciated the collaborative effort between the Nigeria Customs Service and UN—Habitat and believes that the collaboration signifies a commitment to tackling smuggling and enhancing trade facilitation in the nation, setting the stage for a more prosperous future.

The CGC said, “What we're trying to do is to raise a modern Customs Service through partnering with stakeholders to achieve our goals because we value partnership, and I am happy that you extended your hands of collaboration to work with us.”

He also appreciated their promise to train officers and men of the Service in digital literacy skills, assuring that the Service will continue to prioritize proficiency in the fight against smuggling through technological approach.

He underscored the importance of digital skills, promising that the relevant Service department will enhance trade facilitation.

On his part, the Director of UN—Habitat, Dr. Raymond Edoh, appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for reposing the responsibility of heading the Nigeria Customs Service on the Acting Comptroller-General, describing him as “a competent Customs officer who knows the terrain and masters the job.”

According to him, they decided to visit the Ag. CGC at the Customs Headquarters to express their interest in partnering with the Service.

He appreciated the Service for being a “gatekeeper of the country” that protects citizens against border threats, stressing that his organization will collaborate with NCS to mitigate the smuggling of illicit goods and train officers and men of Customs on digital literacy skills and certification.

UN-Habitat is the United Nations entity responsible for developing urban policies and translating them into action to create sustainable cities and promote viable urban development and adequate shelter for all.

Customs to Synergise with ANLCA in Eradicating Threats Against Revenue Collection

Customs to Synergise with ANLCA in Eradicating Threats Against Revenue Collection

ZAINAB JUNAID

The Acting Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, has urged the newly elected National Executive Committee(NECOM) of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents(ANLCA) to consider their peculiar privilege in sustaining peace amongst themselves as this will enable the Service to synergise with them to eradicate threats against revenue collection and national security.

The CGC made this call on Wednesday, 20th September, 2023, adding that the Service will maintain its position of consulting relevant stakeholders to enable its administration to succeed.

The newly elected executives were led by their National President, Emenike Kingsley Nwokeoji, BOT chairman, Alhaji Taiwo Mustapha and members of Customs Consultative Council (CCC) led by Aare Hakeem Olarenwaju to Customs Headquarters in Abuja.

CGC Adewale urged them to consider their peculiar privilege in sustaining peace amongst them, which, according to him, will encourage the Service to take them as vital partners.

"I want to use this opportunity to rekindle the good understanding and peace between yourselves so that we will be able to synergize in eradicating threats against revenue collection and national security.” He said.

He said “the ball is now in the coat of the executive, new management committee and, of course, the board members. I urge you to swing into action and start work because there is much to do to bring sanity and professionalism to the industry.”

He added that the Nigeria Customs Service now shares the challenge of consolidating the recent victory with the association - which will clear the way for innovations in the automation of procedures and benefit authorised economic operators.

The Acting Comptroller-General told the new leaders of ANLCA that the Nigeria Customs Service is willing to collaborate with them to ensure the successful facilitation of trade, adding, “We are going to hold a meeting with Customs Agents to ensure that we bring the required sanity into our operations.”

On his part, Mr. Hakeem Olanrewaju, the Chairman of the Customs Consultative Committee who led the delegation, said they were at the Corporate Headquarter of the Customs to present the newly elected National Executive Council of ANLCA to the Ag. CGC.

Mr Olanrewaju, who congratulated the Ag. CGC, on his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, assured the CGC that the Association had been put back on the rail after having a long time of experiencing hot fracas, adding that “with the intervention of the Ag. Comptroller General of Customs, the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents has embraced a collaborative peace.”

He also recalled how the Nigeria Customs Service, under the stewardship of Ag. CGC Bashir Adewale Adeniyi approved the establishment of a Customs Consultative Committee to broker peace in the Association of Nigeria Licensed Customs Agents. 

Also speaking, the newly elected president of the association, Emenike Kingsley Nwokeoji, appreciated the Ag CGC for taking the bull by the horns to engineer the peace deal between the faction of the association, affirming that his team have already swung into action to move the association forward.

Nwokeoji described the Ag. CGC as the sole competent officer to lead the Service rightly, saying “your appointment is timely and most deserving that our dear country needs the most for economic and development growth.”

He, however, extolled the Ag. CGC's style of leadership as one that accommodates and understands issues at stake and promptly proffers solutions to them, adding "In that regard, we wish to inform you that we count on you; we know your antecedent, and we hope you will count on us too, to achieve your objectives."