The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Seme Border Command, Comptroller Timi Bomodi has appealed to the importers to utilise the opportunities prevalent at Seme Command to enhance their various businesses and save a lot of waste.

Speaking to this medium in his office, Comptroller Bomodi emphasized that the importers probably are not totally aware that the Seme Border Command has absolutely thrown its doors open for full-fledged business transactions.

The CAC noted that; “the state of business here is very low, part of it is due to the fact that a lot of people don’t understand that the border is actually open for business. You can do all imports apart from the importation of vehicles that is still limited by policy of government through the land borders and the import of pharmaceutical products. Apart from that, every other thing can be brought in through the land borders.

“The same thing also for exports, minus things that are prohibited for export, export trade, we’ve handled a lot of exports here.

“It is that information people need, we’ve been carrying out sensitization programmes with traders in Trade Fair and Alaba. We’ve tried to encourage them, tell them that as much as we know that it is the interest of the nation for them to fast track their imports, because once there is an increase turnover, there is a likelihood that government will make more money.”

He pointed out that opportunities also exist here at the border, at Seme Crack Agent Border Post, for them to bring in their goods, the turnover time is very low. It is easier for them to take their goods to their warehouses from the border here. To me, that is my opinion, than from, maybe the Mother Ports.
“I can imagine somebody whose goods are at Lekki and he has a Shop at Trade Fair or Alaba and somebody who is taking his goods from Seme, just one road, it’s a no-brainer. So we encourage them to use our borders. It’s taking them sometime, some of them have been very skeptical because the idea that the border is closed is still in their minds. We’re telling them everything is ok now and they can work. So, we hope that in the not-too-distant future, a lot of them will start making use of this corridor.”

He reiterated the resolve of the officers and men of the command towards supporting the traders to grow their businesses.

“We’re here to support them, to assist them in any way possible to ensure that their businesses do very well. We told them too that there are certain advantages that are peculiar to Seme. If you take your goods to the Ports, you’re subjected to pay demurrages to the terminal operators, you’re expected to pay demurrages to the shipping companies, this forms part of your costs and goes a long way in affecting the prices of goods.
“Here in Seme, some of those costs will not exist because that kind of infrastructure is not here demanding those kind of payments. So that’s a significant chunk of their costs that is being taken out.

“And here, we can guarantee the release of goods in 24 hours after Examination, in less than 24 hours after Examination.

“And look at the distance, from the border to Alaba Market, once the road is free you’re talking about maximum, two hours to the trade fair, or maximum two and half hours.

“So these are the major advantages we want them to know about, hopefully if they test it and find it to be true, we know they will encourage others to come.

ON THE ISSUE OF COMBATTING SMUGGLING

Comptroller Bomodi admitted that “smuggling is a reality that we’ve come to live with. It is a daily battle. Here at Seme, all patrol teams record their daily activities in terms of anti-smuggling. All patrol teams. I call for the register, I want to know what have you done for today so because they know I will always check on a daily basis, I see results.
“We’ve made a lot of progress in all areas, especially in anti-smuggling and we’ll still make more for those who insist on following the other part, the process for formal trade is clearly spelt out. Whether you’re bringing goods for which no duty is paid or goods for which duty is paid, there is a formal procedure, you make a declaration, you do all the right things.Where that procedure is not followed is enough reason for seizure. I think we’re doing very well in anti-smuggling activities.”