KANO – Alhaji Abdullahi Inde, Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), on Tuesday called on business communities to support the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CEF) to boost economic development of the region.
The CG who was represented by Mr Mathias Abutu, the Comptroller of Customs in charge of Kano/Jigawa command, made the call at the inauguration of the CEF and sensitisation workshop for stakeholders in Kano.
Inde said the call became necessary to reduce the region’s dependence on customs revenues to enhance regional integration and economic development among the member countries.
“This joint approach of setting tariffs leads to a more predictable and stable trade policy with less room for interference through special interest.
“A more predictable and stable trade policy will ultimately benefit the average ECOWAS citizen through better economic governance,’’ he said.
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The CG, who described the new policy as a working tool for NSC and stakeholders, said its importance could not be over-emphasised in view of its expected benefit to the people of the region.
In his remark, the Director, German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), Mr Christian Wilman, urged stakeholders to be conversant with the new policy.
NAN reports that the cooperation was supporting Nigeria in its effort to ensure full implementation of CEF.
Also speaking, the President of Kano Chamber of Commerce, Alhaji Rabi’u Dansuleka, expressed hope that the new policy would bring about synergy among member countries.
He also urged the NCS to ensure that the policy was implemented to the core to ensure its success.
“We will sensitise our members to abide by the rules and regulations guiding the new policy,’’ he said. (NAN)
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