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APFFLON’s Unfair Criticism Of NAFDAC

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APFFLON NAFDAC

APFFLON’s Unfair Criticism Of NAFDAC

I read with dismay a recent article by the Association of Professional  Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) in an online news media platform with the title “APFFLON Berates NAFDAC Mode of Operation” and wish to respond because the allegations are baseless falsehood meant to discredit  NAFDAC  and her efforts to improve service delivery to stakeholders.

The contents of the publication, especially with regards to the comments made by the National President of APFFLON, Otunba Frank Ogunojemite are concocted falsehood carefully scripted to fight back the anti-corruption system being put in place by NAFDAC management and to also mislead the general public on the new full ‘end-to-end’ online processing of the clearance of NAFDAC regulated products at the various airports, seaports and land borders.

In the past, importers and clearing agents were made to physically move from one NAFDAC office to the other in order to process the clearance of their goods at the ports but with the appointment of its current Director-General, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, we have since fast-tracked the implementation of electronic processing of the clearance of goods at the ports from the issuance of licenses to the release of imported products at the ports.

Prof. Moji Adeyeye of APFFLON mandated that all processes within NAFDAC should move from the previous inefficient manual processing to the online system of doing transactions in line with the federal government’s desire to greatly improve the ease of doing business in Nigeria. Machinery was therefore put in place to deploy a fully automated and computerized system for goods clearance at the ports.

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The full automated system was deployed in 2017 with an identified group of low risk importers and clearing agents who used the system for the clearance of their goods at the ports. This enabled them to clear their consignments without visiting the offices of NAFDAC except when invited for meetings.

In response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the need to enforce social distancing, NAFDAC reduced the online clearing system to a very simple process of submission and processing of documentation and release. Importers and clearing agents were asked to only fill four (4) fields and attach all relevant documents as provided by the guidelines for clearance of goods at the ports. For clarity, they are only required to input the following: Email address for receipt of confirmatory token and transaction notifications;  Port office; SGD Number; SGD Date and then attach all their clearing documents. These simple steps were greatly commended by sincere stakeholders who were amazed that processing of documentation and clearance of goods could be simplified to just five steps.

This system therefore put an end to the previous situation where importers and clearing agents crowded NAFDAC offices requesting for services. Currently, the only place where a client sees a NAFDAC official is at the point of physical inspection of imported goods at the ports and/or importer warehouses which for obvious reasons must take place.

The benefits of this system are numerous but we would limit them to the following:  Ability to process documentation and clearance of NAFDAC regulated products at the ports from the comfort of offices and homes using smartphones, tablets and computer systems; ability to submit the request on the online platform around the clock with NAFDAC officials processing them on-duty, off-duty, day and night.

Without mincing words, NAFDAC officials are working round the clock to process transactions submitted at any time and this can be attested to by importers and clearing agents.

Othe benefits include the elimination of person to person contact between clients and staff reducing the tendency to compromise officials during cases of non-compliance. Provision of document verification and authentication system and pictorial display of inspection and inspected product packaging and labeling. This is one intervention that is annoying unscrupulous agents who are yet to come to terms with the anti-corruption system inputted into the platform.

Also to note is the efficient tracking system for transaction clearance with the corresponding customer-friendly service by NAFDAC officers that enable clients to check the status of their requests;  transmission of Email Notification of Progress of completed processes directly to clients’ emails at the following stages; submission of requests;  issuance of NAFDAC electronic Invoices Issuance of NAFDAC electronic Receipts Issuance of Queries and Compliance Directives.

Others are, issuance of Endorsement Notification for physical inspection at ports or importer warehouse; issuance of Consignment Release Notification; Auto-generated Release Notices with Release codes and QR codes that can be verified by the Nigeria Customs Service and Importers using the website and QR code technology respectively. This is specially developed to eliminate the previous scenario where some unscrupulous clearing agents fake NAFDAC Invoices, Receipts and stamps and present the same to Importers and the Customs.

In response to APFFLON claim,  all consignment that requires NAFDAC authorization before clearance at the ports, it is now online. Besides, it is posing a lot of problems to access the website let alone process the platform for the first and second stamping, of which, if not completed the person will not be able to pay customs duty, meaning that freight forwarders would have to keep paying rent to terminals until the issue is resolved.

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Labour Force

Kogi Governor Approves Implementation of N30,000 Minimum Wage for workers

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Kogi Governor Approves Implementation of N30,000 Minimum Wage for workers

Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello, has approved the implementation of N30,000 as minimum wage for the workers in the state.

 

The secretary to the state government, Folashade Ayoade disclosed this on Tuesday after an extensive meeting with the organized labour in Lokoja

 

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She blamed the delay in the implementation on the inability for the committee to meet regularly due to the covid-19 pandemic which has been overcome.

 

The SSG equally commended the organised labour for their understanding and patience, which she said has resulted into the signing of the implementation of the new minimum wage.

Read Also: FCTA Set to Implement Minimum Wage for FCT Workers

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Finance

CBN to End Forex Sales to Commercial Banks in 2022

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Author: Eunice Johnson, Abuja 

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has put Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) on notice that it will stop selling forex to them by the end of 2022. CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele made this known in Abuja on Thursday at the end of the Bankers’ Committee Meeting where he also introduced the RT200 Programme.

 

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Emefiele said the time had come for the banks to go out there and source for forex by funding entrepreneurs with ideas. The CBN, Emefiele said, will support the banks by granting rebates and other support until the banks find their feet in sourcing their forex by themselves.

He also disclosed that the apex bank’s policies and measures have led to a significant improvement in diaspora inflow from an average of US$6 million per week in December 2020 to an average of over US$100 million per week by January 2022. He added that the CBN would be reviewing these intervention programmes going forward to ensure that they continue to achieve the desired results.

He said international bodies, including some embassies and donor agencies, have been complicit in illegal forex transactions that have hindered the flow of foreign exchange into the country.

 

Read Also: CBN Encourages Nigerians to Accept E-Naira

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Customs Corner

Customs CG Deploys 37 Comptrollers as Comptroller Attah Heads Kebbi Command

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Customs CG Deploys 37 Comptrollers as Comptroller Attah Heads Kebbi Command

Author: Gift Wada, Abuja

The Comptroller General of Customs Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd.) has approved the deployment of 37 Comptrollers to various Units, Departments and Commands across the country.

This was disclosed in a release signed on Tuesday by the Customs Deputy National, DC Timi Bomodi for the Comptroller General of Customs.

Among those deployed are the present National PRO of Customs Comptroller Joseph Attah who will assume the office of Area Controller of Kebbi Command, Comptroller AAS Oloyede who shall be moving from ICT/MOD to Tin Can Island Port Command, while Comptroller SI Bomoi to FCT Command. Other postings are Comptroller BA Jaiyeoba to Oyo/Osun Command, Comptroller A Dappa-Williams to Eastern Marine Command, Compt. MA Umar Kano/Jigawa, Compt. KC Egwuh ICT/MOD, Compt. LM Mark Enugu/Anambra/Ebonyi, Compt. T Tachio CTC Kano, Compt. AA Umar Western Marine, Compt. M Dansakwa North Eastern Marine, Compt. AC Ayalogu T & T and Compt. KD Ilesanmi will assume duty as Comptroller Board among others.

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Ali in postings released on 7th of February, charged the newly posted Comptrollers to justify the confidence reposed in them by NCS Management by bringing to bear their years of experience and training in trade facilitation and anti-smuggling activities on their new assignment.

 

Given the enormous expectations of government regarding revenue generation in the current year, the Comptroller General reiterated the need for all Area Controllers and Unit heads to take full charge of the affairs of their Commands by ensuring absolute compliance with extant fiscal policies while leveraging on the efficient management of data to optimize trade facilitation and revenue collection.

Furthermore, the CGC directed all officers to be extremely vigilant in protecting the lives and wellbeing of Nigerians by ensuring the full fortification of our borders against the incursion of smugglers and other cross border criminals.

Read Also:

Customs Raises Concerns over Finance Act as Senate Sets N3trn Target for Revenue Agencies

Comptroller Ali Ibrahim Assumes Duty as New Customs FOU Zone ‘C’ Boss

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