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From Olanrewaju Lawal Birnin Kebbi
The Nigeria’s Custom Service (NCS) and their counterpart in the Republic of Benin, have kicked off arrangements to establish a joint one-stop border post at the Segbana border in Kebbi State.
Comptroller of the Nigeria Customs Service, Kebbi State Area Command, Mr. Ehenacho Ernest Ejike, and the representatives of Benin Republic led by Mr. Aroune Darmane -Head of Customs at Segbana Border Benin Republic
were at the Segbana border to finalized the mortality on how to establish the joint one-stop border patrol.
While speaking at the end of the meeting, Comptroller of the Nigeria Customs Service, Kebbi State Area Command, Mr. Ehenacho Ernest Ojike, explained that the discussion, when completed would resolved alot of socio- economy challenges of the two countries.
According to him, ” the meeting was previously held by the government officials of the both countries to create a modalities to enhance the socio-economy of the both Countries. We wanted to kick off the reopening of this border here in Segbana -Serimaja border and what we came here for today has to do with how to put the final leg on the operational modalities on how this border will kick -off.
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” And we have agreed that, that is, both governments have agreed that one stop- border post will be established. That is what is being practiced international. This is something that would enhancing trade,facilitating trading,ease off alot of insufficient and bringing alot of things that could not be necessarily thrown away.
” So,one stop border post is what we have agreed on here. And we have, through this discussion,we have been able to applying the procedures to start the operation here. Some of the things we discussed here are that,; we discussed about the security. How security will be enforced here. So that, we can have discipline and Control border.
“We also talked about logistic. Of course,we all knew that logistics is dealing with the movement of goods and persons from one point to another. We talked about those things that will enhance streamline flow of goods and persons from Nigeria to Benin Republic and vis visa.
“We came out on the modalities to enhance that. We also talked about infrastructure. How infrastructure will be set up here to meet up with the demands of new border post. Our governments will come in. Some operators will also volunteer too to give certain amenities here and we shall appreciated them for assisting the governments because Governments can not do it all.
“We also talked about combating smuggling and frauds which is expected when there is booming economy activities. And we discussed on the modalities on how to check mate this to a reasonable level.”.
Ejike also disclosed that they also discussed on the comprehensive operational module which included the usage of a single entry foam.
He said: ” going by the principle of one border – post,of which both countries are signatories to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and World Customs Organisation,which has the principle of this one border post.
“We have agreed that we are going to have a single entry declaration form that both countries we use. There is also going to be a border joint inspection, a joint agencies inspection for goods and persons as the case may be. So, it is going to be a joint point operation.
“The two countries, coming together to examine goods,looks at the persons,the entry foam you filled which come in a single piece. There is no going to be dublication of the form. Anything you want to do,you just go inward side and outside side”, he said.
