[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) has called on all relevant government agencies and corporate bodies to create and enabling environment for the agency to curb the shipment of illicit drugs, cross-border crimes and terrorism.
Mrs Patience Burromvyat, the Customs Area Controller in charge of Calabar Free Zone and Akwa Ibom Command, made the call on Friday in Calabar during the 2018 International Customs Day Celebration. The theme for the 2018 celebration is ‘A Secure Business Environment for Economic Development’.
The World Customs Day is observed by Customs Administrations Worldwide in honour of the inaugural session of the Customs Cooperation Council. Burromvyat said that an enabling environment was needed for legitimate business to thrive for the benefit of all, hence the need to create a fair and sustainable environment.
According to her, it is globally recognised that Customs can contribute to making the business environment more secure, stable and predictable.She said that such achievements were possible through streamlining clearance procedures, tackling corruption, enhancing integrity and facilitating movement of goods and people across borders.
“Legitimate businesses need a secure environment to thrive. Creating a safe environment means eliminating threats such as shipment of illicit goods, combating cross-borders crimes and terrorism.“Customs has the responsibility of creating a fair playing ground for all traders. This can be achieved through enforcing Intellectual Property Rights, anti-smuggling activities to tackle traders who avoid payment of duties.
“Such activities can negatively impact a nation’s economy and development.
“The NCS over the years has improved the capacity of its personnel through numerous trainings both home and abroad to tackle threats to legitimate business.“This is evidence by the seizures of massive arms and ammunition in the nation’s port, live animals among others”, she said.
She further said that the NCS has stepped-up its anti-smuggling drives by equipping officers with modern and sophisticated weapons which has resulted in massive seizures of illegal imports like rice and motor vehicles.On her part, Mrs Olufunmilayo Olotu, Manager of Calabar Port, lauded the cordial working relationship between the Customs and the Nigerian Port Authority in Calabar.
“Our cordial working relationship has yielded results. Calabar port is very safe for business and our maritime operators can testify to that.“I can say it authoritatively that men of the NCS in Cross River and Akwa Ibom Command are up and doing. On our part, we are doing our best to attract bigger vessels to Calabar”, she said