ECOWAS, USAID offer TOAM for elimination of obstacles on international trade
...bemoan multiple checkpoints along Badagry, Mile 2 road.
Segun Oladipupo
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission and the has condemned the multiple checkpoints on Nigerian roads linking to the borders.
The two agencies in collaboration with the Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) in an effort to simplify international trade through the borders on Friday, enlightened stakeholders on the window of a new platform to eliminate barriers known as ECOWAS Trade Obstacle Alert Mechanism (TOAM) in order to eliminate non-tariff barriers.
Speaking, the Principal Trade Advisor, ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Justin Bayili said he counted bout 57 checkpoints along Mile 2 to Badagry express way of the Lagos/Abidjan axis.
He maintained that such number of barricade could hamper trade flow among African countries adding that such ill tantamount to trade inhibition.
His words,“The issue of reporting complaints, once, twice or even the third time without getting response is not good as this will make the person to lose focus. Two months ago, we took a trip from Mile 2 to Badagry and experienced 67 checkpoints, this delay goods and thus making the goods costly for the business community,” he said.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary, NSC, Hon. Emmanuel Jime said this at the sensitisation workshop was to create awareness to professional organisations and stakeholders in cross-border trade on their roles in elimination of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) via ECOWAS TOAM.
Jime noted that in this pursuit, TOAM emerged as a potent tool, adding that it was officially launched during the second meeting of the ECOWAS Regional Trade Facilitation Committee (RTFC) in November 2022.
He pointed out that TOAM was engineered to mitigate non- tariff barriers across the ECOWAS region, and operate via an online reporting system bolstered by a handpicked interagency network.
“Numerous studies conducted along the borders of West African nations have consistently highlighted the impediments faced by traders, particularly in border crossings and customs clearance processes. These barriers, comprising lengthy clearance times, transit checkpoints with unwarranted delays, harassments, exorbitant illegal fees, and demands for bribes, have far-reaching consequences.”
They not only disrupt the seamless flow of goods but also pose a direct threat to our regional integration endeavours. We are at a juncture where acknowledging the challenges is no longer sufficient. We have a solemn duty to identify practical solutions that will significantly reduce the prevalence of these obstacles,” the NSC boss said.
Jime, however, stressed that through this platform, businesses could promptly submit or report obstacles to public sector agencies, receive responses, and remain informed about queries submitted by fellow operators concerning specific products or countries.
“TOAM’s initial results are encouraging, as over 400 obstacles have been reported through this mechanism across West Africa with more than 49 percent of them effectively addressed,” he stated.
Jime also pointed out that the NSC was committed to promoting trade and facilitating seamless cross-border transactions and as such, initiated ideas to sustain it such as establishing Border Information Centre, Complaint Units.
In attendance at the event are stakeholders including; Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), freight forwarders, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Manufacturer’s Association of Nigeria, Lagos Chambers of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), truck owners among others
