Mobolaji Michael
REPRESENTATIVES from ECOWAS Commission on Tuesday 6th June, 2023 visited the management team of the Seme-Krake Joint Border Post Security.
The visit was aimed at monitoring the progress and taking stock of the activities at the common control zone and had in attendance, Ashoke Maliki, Head of Roads and Transport, Department of Infrastructure-ECOWAS Commission; Ibrahim Musa, Director of Road Transport, Federal Ministry of Transportation; Comptroller Dera Nnadi, Customs Area Controller, Seme Area Command; Ayivi Eliane, Controller of Customs, Krake, Federal Republic of Benin; Hon. Joseph Gbenu, Chairman, Badagry West LCDA among others.
While making a presentation of the operations at the common control zone of both countries, Ashoke Maliki highlighted the objectives of the Joint Border Post concept which is basically to reduce the number of stops incurred in cross-border trade by combining activities of both country’s organisations.
He said, “As we are doing now, Customs formalities are done together, Immigration is done in a single window, we have reduced so many numbers of stops and as a result of that, we have increased the effectiveness of border controls through greater data sharing, joint operation in terms of security”.
In his remarks, Comptroller Dera Nnadi, who is the Chairman of the Joint Border Post Security Team, appreciated the Federal Government for repairing the road leading to the border, while also calling on traders and businessmen to take full advantage of government policies with regard to export trade.
“While effort is being made to develop the road, I want to call on traders, and businessmen along this corridor to take full advantage of government policy,’’ Nnadi stated. 
In his address, Ibrahim Musa, Director of Road Transport, Federal Ministry of Transportation noted that the Federal Government will do all it takes to assist in providing necessary facilities at the Joint Border Post.
“The kind of improvement in the relationship between the Benin Republic and Nigeria, with the development of facilities in this particular Joint Border Post is unprecedented. They are our brothers and sisters and this has increased the tempo of friendship between us and we hope to keep it up and I want to thank ECOWAS for all they are doing.
“On our side, we will keep mounting pressure on the government to assist in providing all necessary facilities that will make this Joint Border Post a comfortable one”, he added.
In another development, Comptroller Nnadi hosts Badagry community leaders at the Command, in a bid to familiarize with them while also getting feedback, as well as discussing common challenges and proffering solutions to them.
Present at the meeting were Honourable Joseph Gbenu, Chairman of Badagry West Local Council Development Area; Oba Sejiro James, Oba of Kweme Kingdom as well as youth leaders within Badagry environs, among others.
The youth leaders of Kweme Kingdom appealed for the land borders to be opened and allow tokunbo cars to be cleared. 
In response, Comptroller Nnadi noted their demands while also appealing to them to take advantage of the Customs clinic at the barracks where services are of subsidized rates.
As part of efforts to support the youths, sportswear was presented to community members to encourage inter-community football competitions to keep the youths busy and promote youth relationships.
“What we want to do is to encourage inter-community football competition. We hope that through this, we will keep the youths socially busy”, Comptroller Nnadi said.
“The idea is to improve relationships between the various communities and promote youth relationships”, he concluded.
Eighteen-Eleven Media