By Emmanuel Nduka
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has announced that Nigeria and Benin Republic have agreed to have a single entry declaration form for both countries for border crossing.
Disclosing this after a meeting between the NCS and representatives of Benin Republic recently, the Kebbi Area Controller of NCS, Iheanacho Earnest-Ojike, recalled that on May 21, a maiden meeting between foreign ministers of Nigeria and Benin Republic which dwelled on bilateral talks on improving free flow of trade and commerce between the two nations, was held.
After the recent meeting held at Anguwar Sule Wara, a border town in Benin Republic, Earnest-Ojike told journalists that the meeting was a sequel and final agreement to the previous one. “We have now agreed to have a single entry declaration form that citizens of both countries will use for border crossing,” he said.
”The meeting aimed at bringing the border crossing between Tsamiya in Nigeria and Anguwar Sule Wata in Benin Republic back to life through infrastructural development in line with the renewed hope initiative of President Bola Tinubu.
“The meeting was also to strengthen social and economic interaction as well as expand trade and commerce between the citizens of the two countries,” he said.
“Both countries are signatories to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and World Customs Organisation (WCO), which have the principles of border post,” he added.
Earnest-Ojike added that two countries would establish a joint-border agency inspection for goods and persons, saying, “it is going to be one-stop border post at the Segbana border.”
The NCS boss expressed optimism that the agreement reached would advance the course of regional integration between both countries.
