The Minister of Finance, Louis Paul Motaze has extended his hearty congratulations to the North West customs sector for raising revenue above their target.
The Minister was on his maiden visit to the region to officially launch activities to celebrate the 71st edition of the World customs day to be celebrated in Yaounde on the 26th January 2024.
Revenue generated has increased from a meagre 6 million in 2019 to over 500 million in 2023.
Senior Customs Inspector Epie Jerome, North West Chief of Customs
The Head of the North customs sector, Epie Jerome says he is visibly happy with the congratulatory words he has received from his Minister and this simply means they should work hard to mobilize more resources.
Minister Louis Paul Motaze congratulated the entire customs sector in Cameroon under the leadership of Fongod Edwin Nuvaga for raising revenue above their target for the fourth consecutive year in 2023.
Fongod Edwin, Director General of Customs
To ensure that the North West customs sector continues to live up to expectations, a befitting edifice is under construction.
The building worth 1.2 billion Francs CFA, will stand on a surface area of 5200 square meters. It will have a ground floor of 18 offices, a first floor of 18 offices and a top floor with 12 offices and a conference room.
The project which is expected to be delivered in 36 months has been greatly appreciated by the North West chief of customs.
"This will create an environment for collective productivity. Housing all the major custom services under the same roof and will lead to effective planning, Organising, executing with better cohestion" Senior Customs Inspector, Epie Jerome told the Observer.
The 71st international customs day will be celebrated under the theme: "Customs engaging Traditional and New Partners with Peace."
The highlight of customs activities in the region is the dry port that will see the clarence of goods and services effectively done from Bamenda in 2024.
This major milestone adds to the MoU signed in 2018 with the University of Bamenda for the training of students in the Higher Institute of Transport and Logistics.
Minister Louis Paul Motaze speaking to the Press
Minister Louis Paul Motaze was appreciative of the reception accorded to him in Bamenda despite the Monday's ghost towns that have lingered for seven years.
He raised the hopes of the population by stating that the North West and South West Regions need 154 Billion Francs CFA to effectively reconstruct the regions under the Presidential plan for reconstruction and development of the North West and South West Regions.
With their aim to build better, he hammered on the fact that a lot of material damage was caused by the secessionists. He was pleased to announce that government is not relenting in its efforts to mobilize these resources from partner countries and International non-governmental organizations.
He also encouraged companies to take the directives of the Prime Minister with enormous Tax exonerations to invest in the North West Region.
He was reminded that council activities in the region can barely function because of the inability to generate revenue, Minister Motaze called on the Mayors to follow a guideline he has prescribed so they can arrive at amicable solutions. These solutions will consists of paying council workers on time, receiving the quarterly government subvention on time to carryout council activities.
The launch of activities to mark the 71st Customs Day in Bamenda is the second in 6 years, previously launched in 2018.
The launching ceremony concluded with a visit to exhibition stands.
By
Ndi Tsembom Elvis
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