Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Developments say the Nigeria Customs Service would need helicopters to properly secure about 4070km of land borders in the country while decrying how Customs men are being killed by smugglers.
Ogbeh made the disclosure when he played host to the Comptroller General of Customs Hameed Ali, who visited him in his office, as both parties discuss ways of supporting the export of agro-commodities in line with the ease of doing business drive of the federal government. Ogbeh at the meeting lauded efforts of the Nigerian Customs in Trade facilitation and export of agro-commodity exports.
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“I congratulate you on the work you are doing on Trade facilitation and curbing smuggling, and times your officers even die in the line of duty. You will need even more helicopters to secure our 4070km of land border. So people crawl in and out in the dry season and bring this here.”
“The local growers and millers of rice will be out of business if smuggling persists. One of them was with me yesterday, who owns one of the largest millers of rice in Nigeria and he was saying that we are shipping but I told him I am not aware that you people are mounting heavy security to stop the rice from coming in.”
Hameed Ali, the Comptroller General of Customs in his response said, “Our major contribution is to ensure that we can reduce to the barest minimum the importation of rice so that the rice that is being grown here is right.
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Also, “Importation of things like poultry which is prohibited from our own country which is illicit items is our primary mandate and we going to continue to do it diligently to ensure that our own economy improves and we can feed not only ourselves and feed the whole of Africa and the whole world.”
On Customs effort in Trade facilitation and exports, he said, “We have no problem with the export of agro-commodities once the exporters meet the requirements. As you know, there is no duty for exports. Ours is to do the necessary documentation, and release it as quickly as possible.”
He said, “There are items that have been statutorily exempted from duty, and those we know. Those that are dutiable, we would ensure that the process is faster.”
“Am here with the DG of enforcement, as we enter the Yuletide period, we have already stationed our members strategically at the land borders. We have 4070km of land borders and we cannot be everywhere, and we are making all the efforts to ensure they are properly manned,” he said.
HARRISON EDEH, ABUJA
