By Steve Agbota
Clearing agents under the aegis of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) have decried the high level of extortion and over 50 security checkpoints and multiple duty payments collected by the Benin Republic and Nigeria Government that have continued to frustrate trade facilitation in Seme border nearly two years after it was reopened.
They lamented that the illegal checkpoints and extortion points are hindering movement of transit cargoes both inward and outward of the border. The menace of the checkpoints by Police, Immigration, and other agencies along the Badagry-Seme border route has continued to be a source of pain to motorists plying the road.
When Daily Sun visited the border axis last week, there were over 12 checkpoints mounted by various security personnel between Badagry and the link bridge to the Seme border.
Speaking with Daily Sun, ANLCA Chairman, Seme Chapter, Mr Onyekachi Ojinma, said multiple duties collected by the Benin Republic and Nigeria Government and checkpoints are the major reasons business activities have remained dull at the border corridor two years after it was reopened.
“The Cotonou port, which is expected to be a transit port still charges importers as high as N1.7 million for 20 feet containers and N2 million for 40 feet containers before they are allowed to transit to the Seme border where they still pay duty to the Federal Government. Apart from the extortion and multiple checkpoints, importers are abandoning the Seme border because of the double duty they are meant to pay. “The dual duty payment at the Seme border has discouraged many importers from clearing their consignment through the land border, as they prefer to go through the Lagos ports where the total cost of duty and other expenses are lesser,” he lamented.
He also accused the security agencies, especially the Nigeria Police of mounting over 50 checkpoints between Agbara and Seme Border, noting that the situation encourages extortion and frustrates importers from using the Seme border.
However, he bemoaned the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) policy on containerisation of cargoes coming into the country through the land borders, stressing the policy has taken jobs away from clearing agents as importers have abandoned the borders for Apapa and Tin Can Ports in Lagos.
Ojimma said it is cheaper for importers to use trucks to transit their cargoes from other West African countries, as containerisation policy has jerked up the price of transiting cargoes from these neigbouring countries.
“Government has officially opened up the border posts, but there is no business there for now because of bad roads, security agencies and multiple checkpoints. Between Badagry and Seme Border, there are about 50 checkpoints. By the time cargoes are brought through the border, extortion must have killed the owner,” he lamented.