Customs, FRSC partner to boost revenue, curb vehicle smuggling

Forum 8 months ago

Customs, FRSC partner to boost revenue, curb vehicle smuggling

The Federal Road Safety Corps and The Nigeria Customs Service, on Thursday, commenced an intensive vehicle database integration of the two government agencies to increase revenue generation for the Federal Government.

Both agencies, in a joint statement issued in Abuja, described the move as “what seems like one of the most productive collaborations towards enhancing national security and curbing revenue loss.”

The statement was signed by the Assistant Corps Marshal, Corps Public Education Officer, FRSC, Bisi Kazeem, and the Chief Superintendent of Customs, National Public Relations Officer, NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada.

It stated that the collaboration was effected during the official visit of the acting Comptroller-General, NCS, Adewale Adeniyi, to the Corps Marshal, FRSC, Dauda Biu, at the national headquarters of the commission on Thursday.

Speaking during the visit, Adeniyi emphasised the NSC’s renewed commitment towards working with the corps in the area of human resource development, information and communication technology, as well as sports.

According to the statement, the Customs boss stated that “a handshake and effective consolidation of existing vehicle information in the National Vehicle Identification Scheme database domiciled with the FRSC, and vehicle database of the NCS would curb vehicle smuggling, improve revenue generation and enhance national security.”

On his part, the corps marshal, while responding to the comptroller-general, applauded the initiative, stating that the handshake and data sharing would not only strengthen the bond between the two agencies but also positively impact the fight against the smuggling of vehicles.

“Biu stated emphatically that the collaboration will also entrench ease of doing business as it will make tracking of vehicles without customs duty certificate very easy for the corps at the point of registration,” the statement said.

The FRSC boss beckoned on Adewale to make enforcement of restrictions of the importation of vehicles, whose ages, at the point of importation, are above the specified legal age limit, one of his key priorities.

He expressed worry over the deployment of fairly-used tyres by many motorists and called for enhanced enforcement of the ban on the importation of deadly tyres into the country.