INTERVIEW: We’re Talking With Jigawa Government to Boost Maigatari Free Trade Zone – Comptroller Chana

Kano/Jigawa Area Command has performed relatively well in terms of revenue generation, trade facilitation, and anti-smuggling operations. Especially when compared to the previous year’s record of 41.6 billion Naira (41,699,095,822.35) 2022; the current year’s record is 52.7 billion Naira (26.4%) surplus increase.

Despite the continuous emphasis on promoting compliance among the stakeholders and the general public through various sensitization efforts and proactive engagement, enforcement actions have resulted in several seizures, which has led to an increase in voluntary compliance by stakeholders. If you could recall, a few weeks ago, we had course to invite heads of sister agencies to handover huge confiscated contra-bands.

We handed over 665 pieces of donkey skins to ACGQ AI Gano, Northwest Zonal Coordinator, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS), while 450 blocks of Cannabis Sativa was handed over to the State Commander, National Drugs and Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) as well as 1290 cartons of expired and unregistered pharmaceuticals released to the State Director, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Kassim Idrisa Ibrahim.

The continuous synergy and collaboration between our organization and our esteemed partner agencies exemplify our shared dedication to maintaining a safe and healthy environment for all citizens of the country.

The trade facilitation visits i conducted since assuming leadership of the command were designed to improve overall compliance levels among the various stakeholders engaged in Customs trade activities. These visits were part of a broader strategy to streamline processes and foster a more efficient and transparent trade environment. We engaged them on wide array of topics including regulatory adherence, accuracy of documentation, and the efficiency of trade procedures.

Most of the stakeholders demonstrated a greater commitment to compliance and with ongoing engagement, training programs, and regular assessments,there is assurance of a sustained and progressively improved compliant trading environment.

The CG’s initiative to having a Data Driven Customs Service is highly commendable considering its importance in effective review and planning in order to streamline customs operations.

The Command employs data to forecast, analyse, and digest seizures, revenue generation, and anti-smuggling efforts in order to improve its mandate and predict the future.

In this modern world, Data is the inevitable tool you can use to predict, plan and assess your achievements and set backs. For you to succeed, you need accurate Data to know where you are coming from, where you are and where you are going.

As earlier stated, there will always be need for continuous stakeholder engagement with  a view to ensuring compliance and seamless operations in the command. Earlier in November, we coordinated a training session for enterprises operating at the Kano Free Trade zone, and there are plans in motion to meet with all of them within the first quarter of 2024 especially members of Kano Market associations and Manufacturers Association of Nigeria.

The visit I made to His Excellency Mallam Umar Namadi, the Executive Governor of Jigawa state was primarily focused on the development and advancement of the Maigatari Free Trade Zone (FTZ) within the state. I promised the administration an open door policy in which proposals and ideas on various strategies aimed at improving economic prospects, attracting investments, and fostering sustainable growth, with special emphasis on the state’s export potential, would be offered.