CONGESTION: Importers Stranded At Ports Over NAFDAC Electronic Certificate
…As ANLCA Kicks Against Planned Increment of Port Inspection Fees
By DAPO OLAWUNI
The National Secretary of Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) Mr. Babatunde Mukaila has faulted the planned increment of Port Inspection Fees, Analysis Fees and Clean Report of Inspection (CRIA) by the National Agency for Food Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC)
The ANLCA scribe in a chat with DAILY TREND NEWS revealed that NAFDAC planned to increase these charges by January 2020 without due sensitization of stakeholders and not minding the additional cost to doing business at Nigerian ports.
The ANLCA top gun said the planned increment negates the ease of doing business policy of the federal government, vowing that ANLCA would resist headlong, any attempt to turn NAFDAC into a revenue collection agency.
He also alleged that the online electronic certificate permit by NAFDAC has started leading to cargo congestion at the ports as many importers are now stranded at the port in an attempt to facilitate their pre-arrival documentation processes.
Recall that NAFDAC had disclosed to the general public in September 2019 that its electronic NAFDAC licenses have been incorporated on the Nigeria Single Window for Trade for the processing of import transactions.
This means that importers, customs licensed agents, port stakeholders, authorised dealer banks can now get their licenses in electronic formats on the Nigerian Single Window for Trade portal for their import transactions to be processed.
The ANCLA scribe has said the process is causing delays at the port.
According to him, “The planned increment by NAFDAC on port inspection fees, analysis fee and foreign clean report of inspection (CRIA) as from January 2020 without adequate sensitisation, or economic reason based on adequate service delivery by NAFDAC would not work”
“The increase will negate the intents of Ease of Doing Business and bring about additional non tariff barrier cost to Nigeria Trader”
“NAFDAC cannot and should not be turned into a revenue generating ,nor revenue target parastatal, ANLCA will resist this head long”
“Presently, NAFDAC has embarked on online e-certificate permit that has grounded most facilitation of pre-arrival documentation processes on cargoes with so much stress”
The permit is yet to be well understood, and it has started accruing demurrages for importers and agents.
“Please visit Oshodi to see how Nigeria importer are stranded in an attempt to convert paper certificates to e-certificate”
