Oyem, January 26, 2024 (AGP) -The regional customs directorate of Oyem, provincial capital of Woleu-Ntem (North), celebrated International Customs Day (ICD) on January 26 under the theme: “For a customs mobilizing its historical and new partners around clear objectives,” noted the local AGP correspondent.
The related ceremony was organized around three conference-debates, focused on three themes, namely: “Customs missions», «Computerized customs clearance: what you need to know», et «Procedures for obtaining cost-of-living approval».
Presented by Fabrice Mouandza, Valère Nkoghe and Armelle Fleure Obone Bibang, respectively head of the surveillance department at the regional customs freight forwarding department and head of department at the provincial trade department, these conferences were rich in lessons.
Speaking on behalf of the regional director, Dieudonné Otakame who was unable to attend, the deputy regional director Eric Essono Mezui mainly focused his remarks on the fiscal, economic and specific missions of Gabonese customs.
« The fiscal mission consists of liquidating the duties, taxes and fees collected at the entry and exit of the national territory of goods for the benefit of the State and certain sub-regional organizations, such as the Economic and Monetary Community of States of Central Africa (CEMAC), the Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS), the Organization for the Harmonization of Business Law in Africa (OHADA), among others“, indicated Mr. Mezui.
For him, the economic mission of customs aims to protect and promote local industries, by simplifying and facilitating customs clearance procedures through partnerships established with national companies and the protection of products through trade surveillance. exteriors.
« The specific missions of customs concern the protection of the interests of the State and citizens and materialize, among other things, by the control of imports of medicines, the control of imports of arms and ammunition, the control of exports of goods cultural“, he noted, adding that encouraging investment through tax and customs advantages, the implementation of fiscal protection instruments, the fight against illicit trafficking of narcotics, cross-border crime , are among the areas in which Gabonese customs also intervene.
The officials during the lowering of the flag at the end of the celebration.
According to data communicated by the deputy regional director of customs, around three hundred trucks leave Gabon and enter from the north, making the Oyem customs region the most active in terms of road traffic of goods.
« Nearly 80% of these goods are local products originating from Cameroon, subject only to VAT and CSS. The goods introduced into Gabon via Equatorial Guinea are, for their part, mainly composed of drinks and foodstuffs relating to the high cost of living.” a dit Eric Essono Mezui.
According to the latter, customs revenue represents around 20% of the country’s tax revenue.
The celebration of this day began with a mass at the Charles Loangwa Cathedral and ended with the lowering of the flag at the regional customs directorate.
EMM/ANM/HUN
