By Stephen Ubanna
The Airline Operators, Board of Trustees, appears to have joined other Organistions that are highly impressed with Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR, led Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, business- friendly reforms over the last two years which had somewhat enhanced trade facilitation at the nation’s seaports, airports and the land border stations.
Describing the reforms as a new era of collaboration between the nation’s aviation industry and the NCS, Abdulmunaf Sarina, AOB, President, had taken advantage of a recent visit to Adeniyi, the Customs Comptroller General, CGC, at the Customs Headquarters with his Team to laud the Customs helmsman and his Management for the reforms that had been initiated so far that had improved the Nigeria business environment to compete favourably with what obtains in other parts of the world.
The CGC, may have gladdened the heart of the AOB, delegation to his office when he commended ‘’the strategic role that had been played by the Airline Operators of Nigeria, AON, in the country’s economy over the years, noting that their financial contributions go beyond financial investment’’.
An appreciative Adeniyi who had received the AOB delegation at the Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Customs Headquarters, may have gladdened their heart when he declared that it is pleasing to know that members of the AOB of Trustees and indeed other members of AON, who are on the visit to his office are not ‘’just investors in the nation’s aviation sector but are also playing very strategic roles in the economy’’.
He had acknowledged the fact the members of the Airline Operators Board of Trustees and AON, investors had used ‘’their expertise and knowledge and cerebral contributions to ensure that members continue to make their laudable contributions to the nation’s aviation industry’’.
The CGC, who has never missed any opportunity to throw more light about the reintroduced 4% FOB, levy, which had been put on hold on the directive of Wale Edun, minister of Finance and Coordinating minister of the Economy, was said to have reached beneficial conclusions with the AO Board of Trustees delegates and AON.
The CGC, had recalled to the several policy initiatives that had been initiated by the Service to improve the ease of doing business in Nigeria which includes the Athorised Economic Operator, AEO, programme, Advanced Ruling for Importers, and the establishment of Aviation Desks at airports, seaports and courier hubs.
He was said to have further clarified the issue of the Economic Community of West African States, ECOWAS, Trade Liberalisation Scheme, ETLS, stating that ‘’it is not unilateral charge by Nigeria alone but an obligation within the West African sub-region.
In his apparent response to the CGC’s remarks, Allen Onyema, President AON, who may have spoken the mind of other investors in the nation’s aviation industry had described the present Customs Leadership as one that had ‘’fostered collaboration with stakeholders rather than promote conflict between the Service and the private sector operators.
The multi-billionaire business mogul noted that in the past ‘’dealing with the Customs Authorities was like climbing a mountain blindly’’, noting that they often fought with Customs personnel at the airport and took their grievances to the Media to be publicized.
He may have alluded to Hameed Ali, a retired Army Colonel, eight years in offices, which many had described as eight years of disaster in Customs. Onyema, who is the Chairman of Air Peace, established in 2013, had said that since Adeniyi, assumed office in June, 2023, he has transformed the Service into one that now ‘’listens to complaints of stakeholders, engages and supports businesses’’.
An elated Onyema had disclosed that ‘’this is why the AOB, Trustees had decided to pay this first -ever courtesy call to a Comptroller General of Customs, ‘’to say thank you and encourage you to continue in this positive direction’’.
He had given kudos to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for to appointing the likes of Adeniyi, described as an ‘’impeccable leader’’, in paramilitary circles, to oversee the affairs of the NCS, and whose potentials have also been recognized at the global level that he was elected the Chairman, of the World Customs Organisation, WCO.
He had stressed that the reforms that he had initiated in the Service had improved business operations, created more jobs in the country and increased non-oil revenue for the Federal Government.
Abdullahi Aliyu Mawada, the Customs spokesperson had alluded to the AON, pledge for continued partnership with the NCS, at the National, Zonal and Command levels ‘’in advancing the nation’s aviation industry and the broader economy’’.
