Ag. CGC meets Gov. Sanwolu to strengthen collaboration for development
Story from Haruna YUSUF
Acting Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR, paid a respectful visit to the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. Recognizing the significance of Lagos in the Customs Service’s operations, Adeniyi highlighted that the state contributes 70 to 75 percent of the service’s total revenue collection.
During the meeting, Adeniyi assured the Governor of the Customs Service’s commitment to operating within the bounds of the law and supporting his vision of making Lagos a thriving metropolis. He praised the Governor’s efforts to transform Lagos into a smart city and expressed the agency’s dedication to complementing these initiatives for sustainable development.
Adeniyi also shared recent progress, stating, “We have just obtained presidential approval for a decongestion project at our ports. This will involve a combination of public auctions and the transfer of some containers to the Government Warehouse in Ikorodu.” He further added that an inspection of all the facilities had been carried out, and soon they would work with stakeholders to kickstart the process, creating much-needed space within and around the port premises.
READ ALSO: Customs CG emphasise collaboration with stakeholders to address mutual concerns
Governor Sanwo-Olu, while welcoming his guests, congratulated Adeniyi on his appointment and assured him of the state’s commitment to providing a conducive working environment for businesses to flourish. Sanwo-Olu also shared that approval had been granted for a Badagry port, emphasizing the importance of strategically developing infrastructure to ease congestion at ports like Apapa and Tin-can.
“Our aim is to build strategic infrastructure across the state, with Lekki on the eastern part and Badagry on the western part,” the Governor explained, highlighting the need to attract investments and facilitate smooth trade operations to compete with global ports.
Sanwo-Olu expressed his belief in collaborative efforts, emphasizing the ongoing progress that could enhance port operations. He concluded, “I am confident that together, we can continuously improve the turnaround time and efficiency at all the ports.”
