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By Steve Agbota
The Seme Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, has said that the competition between Dangote Cement and competitors in the cement market in Togo is causing a shortfall in exportation. The Customs Area Controller of the command, Dera Nnadi, stated this on Tuesday while addressing journalists at the Command, said that the shortfall in export was to the tune of 75,000 metric tons.
“Regrettably there is a shortfall in export to the tune of 75,000 metric tons of cargo due to competition between Dangote Cement and competitors in the cement market in Togo,” he said.
He said that under the Economic Community of West African States, the Command facilitated the movement of 425 trucks with fees amounting to N315million.
“Within the period under review, 412 baggage declarations with duty amounting to N58, 844,382 were recorded. The items imported under this arrangement include food products and beverages produced within the sub-region.”
“For export, 1,243 trucks bearing 40,096.47 metric tons of made in Nigeria cargo declared on 165 single administrative documents with free on board value of N4.2 billion and National Export Supervision Scheme Fees of N21 million were recorded,” he said.
He said that during the same period in 2022, 3006 trucks bearing 116,053.9 metric tons of cargo with FOB value of N6m with NESS fee of N32 million was recorded.
Nnadi said other sources of revenue for the command are fees collected from the auction sales of seized items especially petroleum products and other perishable items.
“To this end, the command generated a total of N350 million in the first quarter of 2023. The figure represent N105 million or 23 per cent drop when compared to N455 million collected in the corresponding period in 2022,” he said.
Nnadi also blamed the lull in activities to the cashless policy and the general elections.
“The deficit could be attributed to lull in activities during the cashless policy and the wait by the traders for the outcome of the general election. Also recall that I had earlier informed you that the economic policy of the Republic of Benin who charge fees on goods in transit to Nigeria constitute tariff barriers to trade along the corridor. These affected the commands revenue and need urgent review.”
He said the command is conscious of its strategic location as the foremost frontier for trade and tourism in west and central Africa particularly the ETLS and the emerging African Continental Free Trade Area. Nnadi said that the command in the first quarter of 2023 recorded milestones in its anti-smuggling operations. He said that some of the seizures including the fake dollars will be handed over to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFFC).
“Some of the anti-smuggling landmarks by the command included the seizure of fake $6 million (equivalent of N2.763 billion at exchange rate of N460.52 ) which will be handed over to the EFCC today.”
“Also seized in the first quarter is 2, 242 bags of 50kg rice equivalent to four trailer loads of foreign par boiled with duty paid value of N72 million, 7, 587 by 30 liters of premium motor spirit equivalent of 227,610 liters or seven tanker loads of PMS with duty paid value of N51, 075, 684, 550 pieces of donkey skin with duty paid value of N10, 689,504,” he said.
