Nigeria: Customs Boss Commends BATN's Contribution to Nigerian Economy

Source from:  Daily Independent 08/03/2009

The Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Dr. B.E. Nwadialo, has commended the British American Tobacco Nigeria (BATN) for its commitment to the development of the Nigerian economy, especially through employment generation and prompt payment of taxes and duties to the government. He made the commendation during a media chat held after an inspection tour of BATN's state-of-the-art factory in Ibadan, Oyo State recently. Describing BATN as a good corporate citizen, the Customs boss who was accompanied on the tour by top officers of his organisation, said that his command has been impressed with the company's commitment to the development objectives of the Federal Government through its prompt payment of taxes and duties to the government, pointing out that BATN has never defaulted. He also disclosed that BATN has for some time now been assisting the Nigerian Customs in its job of policing the nation's territorial borders. This, he said followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the company and the Nigeria Customs Service. He recalled that during the signing of the MoU in Abuja, BATN had donated 10 Hilux 4x4 vans to the Customs command to help it in its fight against smuggling across Nigerian borders, especially the fight against counterfeit and fake commodities. Nwadialo noted with delight that the gesture has improved the command's operations at the borders with numerous cases of seized contraband goods widely reported in the media. He also pointed out that the proper policing of the borders, with the aid of the tobacco company, have helped improve the earnings generated by the command on behalf of the Federal Government. He reiterated the harmful effects of smuggling, saying that smuggling does not only impact negatively on the fortunes of companies like BATN and the government, but also the health of the citizens who are affected by such fake and adulterated products. He said that apart from the donation of the vans, BATN has also contributed a lot to the training of officers and men of the command, by sponsoring their participation in international workshops on piracy and smuggling. The Managing Director of BATN, Simon Welford, reiterated the commitment of the company to the Federal Government's and the overall development of the Nigerian economy. He said that as partners in progress, the company was associating with the 7-Point Agenda of President Yar'Adua. According to him, the partnership with the Nigeria Customs was BATN's own way of contributing to the development of the Nigerian economy, and ensuring that the country attains its aim of being one of the top 20 economies in the world in the near future. Enditem