ZAINAB JUNAID
A delegation from the International Trade Center(ITC) has on Friday, May 3, 2024, paid courtesy visit to Nigeria Shippers Council Headquarters, Lagos, and strengthened collaboration in order to enhance seamless cross border Trade.
Speaking during the visit, Richard Eke-Metoho, Associate Program Officer, International Trade Center Abuja, who led the delegates explained that the visit was part of the Center’s ongoing study to identify areas of improvement in trade facilitation at border crossing points.
Metoho said ITC mission is related to a Programme called Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS) Agricultural Trade Programme which increases Intra Regional Agricultural Trade.
He equally added that the delegates aimed at getting more experiences and recommendations from Nigeria Shippers Council on trade Facilitation process that can help solve all obstacles that are found in the border crossing points.
According to him, “ITC is a co- implementer under ECOWAS Agricultural Trade Programme which aims at improving intra regional Agricultural Trade especially concerned countries in the programme. This is in collaboration with German International Co-operation Agency (GIZ) and we also collaborate with ECOWAS Directorate of Agriculture. We have certain number of output and feedback on this program. The programme focus on three purposes – Trade Policy, Trade Facilitation and Trade Promotion.
“However on this outing, we are focusing more on trade facilitation; scale up trade facilitation process that is implemented in ECOWAS region and specific border crossing points.
“We’ve conducted best research meant to highlight existing measures of trade Facilitation in each programme country and also get how it’s being implemented according to their current status. However, the more information we collect right now, the more it will help us make well informed decision process. At the end of the study, we will be able to develop a report that will be presented to ECOWAS Commission.
Another delegate, Timothee Bruneteau, Associate Programme Officer, Trade Law/Trade Facilitation, affirmed that the ongoing study will provide measures to facilitate trade around Central and West African Countries, adding partnership with Nigeria Shippers Council will yield positive result.
Also speaking, Kabiru Hassan, Technical Advisor, ECOWAS Agricultural Trade Programme, who reiterated how existing relationship with Shippers Council has added value in terms of trade Facilitation, noted that the study would enable the committee to proffer accurate solution to ECOWAS body on factors militating free trade across border points.
While welcoming the guests, Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Shippers Council, Pius Ukeyima Akutah, expressed gratitude towards the move saying their request to interact with the Council is very apt and opined that the partnership need to develop into a partnership of trust that will enhance trade Facilitation between neighbouring countries.
The Shippers Council Boss further encouraged GIZ to develop more programmes that will focus more on Stakeholders engagement as they are reason behind every calls.
“We are ready to partner/discuss with ITC on the study so as to facilitate trade within West and Central Africa Region and see how we can take this to the next level and will appreciate it if GIZ avail more programs that will target more on Stakeholders engagement because they are the reason we are here. I believe the on going study will further strengthen our ability and capacity to engage more in other forms of informal trade in border areas.
“The study focused on Agricultural products which is a significant area for Nigeria in export not only within African Region but Globally. The study will also help us plan and develop skills in terms of what to do at Border Information Center,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, stakeholders(mainly exporters) present at the gathering bemoaned several challenges encountered in the process of doing business within the region and hoped for best results to be achieved through the partnership.
To Barrister Kola Awe, a freight forwarder and also Managing Director, XPT Logistics International Limited, documentation that is information and data gathering has been major problem along this corridor likewise exporting of perishable goods.
Princess Bakare Okeowo, MD Pearl & Real Development wondered why ECOWAS Trade Liberalization Scheme (ETLS) in not accessible at a cheaper rate and also called for more activities to be encouraged along the axis.
General Manager Operations, Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners(NARTO) Stephen Okafor on his part, condemned the existence of multiple checkpoints along mile 2-Seme axis and absence of Truck Transit Park.
“Last year there are 57 checkpoints along mile 2-Seme border, though this was reduced but not to the nearest minimum as expected and it pose barrier to free trade on that route. We also observed absence of Truck Transit Park where Trucks can relax before taking off to their destination. Also there are lots of extortions along that corridor, which some enforcement agencies are found guilty of. We will appreciate the partners work towards summoning this problems in order to ease trade along this corridor, he stated.
Responding to the Stakeholders, Kabir Hassan said the committee will look into the challenges and cost of doing business as mentioned by the Stakeholders within the region and find solution.
Also, Adaora Mwonu, Deputy Director, Trade Service, Nigeria Shippers Council affirmed that collaboration with GIZ/ITC is a worthy one.
Her words, “The essence of this report is to look at issues militating against seamless cross-border trade which is something we are keen about in Nigerian Shippers’ Council. You will agree with me that collaboration works the magic of exponential growth, when there is collaboration, a lot more happens that is why this collaboration is happening so that we can deepen our efforts across the region in dealing with these bottlenecks that are known to hamper free-flow of trade across the region.
“Of course you know we are talking about the African Continental Free Trade Area, (AfCFTA), so some of these will need to be dismantled consciously and deliberately so that free trade will happen because when you facilitate trade more trades will happen which will work for everybody.
“The report by the GIZ/ITC will be out as soon as the feedback from all stakeholders were received. By the time report were released, then we will move closer to a situation where the GIZ/ITC will proffer solutions and deal with those solutions. And they have promised us that they will support us in making this a reality”.
