ECOWAS President Touray’s Seme Border Visit Exposes Decay, Extortion, and Language Barriers Hindering Free Trade
Nigerian immigration and customs officials at the Nigeria-Benin Republic border have raised serious concerns about human trafficking, infrastructure decay, multiple taxation, and operational challenges including lack of electricity, water, and internet connectivity.
Critical Infrastructure Failures
During a meeting with an ECOWAS delegation led by President Dr. Omar Touray, Controller of Customs Dr. Ben Oramalugo revealed that electricity supply at the border stopped five years ago, forcing them to rely on Benin’s power grid. “When they take their light, we’re left in darkness,” he stated.
Double Taxation Crisis
Dr. Oramalugo highlighted how double taxation is driving importers away from the border: “Goods from Benin should be on transit with token fees, but both countries insist on full duties. This discourages economic activity and violates international transit rules.”
Language Barriers and Security Concerns
The customs controller proposed mandatory bilingual education across ECOWAS nations to address communication gaps: “I can’t interact with my Benin counterparts because I don’t speak French. We need policies making both English and French compulsory from primary school.”
Non-Functional Security Equipment
The Immigration Controller lamented that all installed scanners remain non-functional: “We can’t manually inspect every carton. These scanners could detect hidden drugs but they’ve never worked since installation.”
Government Response
Ambassador Musa Nuhu, Nigeria’s permanent representative to ECOWAS, revealed President Tinubu has established a Presidential Task Force to dismantle multiple checkpoints, starting with the Seme-Badagry corridor.
ECOWAS President’s Commitment
Dr. Touray expressed disappointment at the infrastructure decay but promised action: “We can’t sustain expensive facilities that don’t work. We’ll engage member states on maintenance responsibilities and streamline checkpoints without compromising security.”
Transporters’ Plight
Commercial driver Joseph Dibang described the nightmare of cross-border trips: “From Nigeria to Ghana takes 12-13 hours due to unnecessary stoppages and unofficial payments. No receipts are issued – it’s all under the table.”
Regional Integration Challenges
A Beninese driver noted the gap between ECOWAS policies and ground realities: “While ECOWAS promotes free movement, we face heavy fines in Côte d’Ivoire despite proper documentation.”
President Touray emphasized the need for proper documentation and receipted payments: “Free movement doesn’t mean no documentation. We all must ensure regional security while facilitating trade.”
The visit highlighted the urgent need for infrastructure rehabilitation, streamlined operations, and better implementation of ECOWAS protocols at West Africa’s busiest border.
Source: Toscad News