How New Customs Act 2023 ‘ll Boost Trade Facilitation, Tackle Smuggling – CG Adeniyi

How New Customs Act 2023 ‘ll Boost Trade Facilitation, Tackle Smuggling – CG Adeniyi

Acting Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Mr. Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, has assured that their Service will promote economic trade for the country, and aggressively tackle smuggling through robust border enforcement, now that the Customs Act is in existence.

He gave the assurance, on Monday, while declaring open a two-day ‘Sensitization Workshop on the Nigeria Customs Service Act, NCSA, 2023’.

The workshop was organized for members of the Nigeria Customs Management.

According to him, the Nigeria Customs Service is one of the very important agencies of the Federal Government saddled with the enormous responsibility of administering, managing and enforcing the provision of the defunct Customs and Excise Management Act Cap C45 LFN 2004 (CEMA).

“This CEMA was enacted 63 years ago and had remained in operation since then without any significant amendment notwithstanding the expansion in government, growth in population and over dynamic progress and challenges in the economy.

“Consequent upon this, several attempts were made in the past to cause amendments or the repeal of CEMA to no avail. The efforts were necessary because the provisions of CEMA had become obsolete and could no longer adequately meet the contemporary fiscal policies of the Government and the mandate of the Service”.

This situation, CG Adeniyi, explained propelled the National Assembly through a private member Bill to initiate the repeal and enactment of a new Nigeria Customs Service Bill which was passed by the Parliament and assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR.

“It is my belief that the new law has addressed some of the defeats in the CEMA and introduced innovative solutions in the implementation of the Act. Under this new Legal regime, the Service has been statutorily empowered to administer and enforce the provisions of the Act.

“We can now also Collect and account for revenue from Customs and Excise among others. Also, our Service will be able to promote trade facilitation, prevent smuggling activities and carry out border enforcement,” he said.

In his keynote address, Hon. Leke Abejide, Chairman of the Committee on Customs and Excise in the 9th House of Representatives, observed that the reforms introduced by the new Customs Act has a tremendous effect on every facet of the nation’s economy and career progression of NCS officers.

He said: “This new legislation further marks a significant milestone in our efforts to streamline Customs procedures, enhance trade facilitation, and foster a conducive environment for economic growth and development.

“Some of the reforms injected into the Nigerian Customs Act 2023 is the enhancement of trade facilitation policies of the service, which has upgraded the status of the Service the 21st Century strategic revenue generating institution of our dream.

“Our effort is providing policies statutorily implanted, which invigorates the objectives of keeping our boarders safe and making avenues of leaked revenue accountability lean, hence this institution shall in the shortest period reap the dividends of this legal framework that gear up the ease of doing business in Nigeria.

“For the first time since the inception of this Service, the idea to always go cap in hand for finances in order to perform its lawful and statutory duties is now a thing of the past with the introduction of Section 18 of the Act; the Act provides for a sum not less than 4% of the Free-On-Board value of imports according to international best practice as part of the funds the service shall keep and maintain for its operation”.

By PRNigeria