NAGAFF Wants Rice, Tomato Paste Removed from Import Prohibited Items

The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has called on the Federal Government to consider removing rice and tomato paste from the list of 41 items placed under import restriction.
Chairman of Tin Can Island Chapter of NAGAFF, Chief Azubuike Ekweozor made the call in an interaction with Shipping Position Daily in his office on Tuesday after he was conferred with the title of Life Patron by the Ikorodu Chapter executives of NAGAFF.
He noted that despite the restriction placed on some of the items, especially rice and tomato paste, many of the items still find their way into the Nigerian market in large quantities. He said that the implication of this on the revenue collection of the Nigeria Customs is huge, because other countries are now taking the revenue while the goods are smuggled into Nigeria.
Ekweozor equally commended the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Alli for securing the ap¬proval for clearance of a huge back¬log of imports at the port.
He said that imports in respect of which forms `M’ were opened before the commencement of the CBN for¬eign exchange restriction are now being treated. He noted that the association has issued a circular to all its members to compile a list of such imports which would be forwarded to the customs for immediate approval and release.
“Dishonest declaration is everywhere as a result of the un-approved form M’s, but with this measure that customs has taken, the dishonest declaration will stop. All our chapters have been asked to compile a list of unapproved form ‘M and submit to the customs service”
“Importers of such goods could not finalize Customs clearance due to inability to obtain the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR) but Customs have decided to waive the formalities and allow them to pay duty”
Ekweozor noted that what caused many importers to be running around looking for how to cheat government was because of the unfriendly policies, he said Government should look into the 41 items under restriction.
“The same items are still coming into the country, it is not scarce in the market and yet another country is collecting the revenue. Rice and Tomato paste should be lifted, these are imported in large containers, for the past one year it has not been imported but it is all over the market” he observed
Chairman of Ikorodu Chapter of NAGAFF, Mr. Muftau David Ola told Shipping Position Daily that his executives decided to make Ekweozor Life Patron of the chapter because they recognized his immense contribution to the upliftment of the standards of practice in the chapter during his tenure as former chairman of the chapter.