Customs Brokers condemn overlapping functions of SON, NAFDAC on regulated products 

Tayo Afolabi     |      

A group in the maritime industry have urged the Federal government to streamline cost and procedures on same product regulated by the National Administration Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON).

This advice was given by the President, National Council of Managing Directors of Licenced Customs Agent (NCMDLCA) Lucky Amiwero, when reacting to Nigeria low ranking on trading across borders on ease of doing business.

Amiwero lamented that the present practice of overlapping jurisdiction of cost and procedure on imported regulated products contravenes the Kyoto Convention on Harmonization, simplification and minimization of procedure and cost.

According to Amiwero, the overlapping jurisdiction contravenes the Articles VIII of WTO, (FAL) convention of International Maritime Organisation (IMO) and World Customs Organisation (WCO).
 
He said,  “The pre-Shipment Inspection process of SON  on SONCAP and duplication of local  procedure  and increase cost and time of doing business  in the Port, which create bottlenecks that results  to high demurrage and rents as a result of delay.”

“The duplication of process and cost on the same product should be streamlined, discountenance with and the duplicity of test, Pre-Shipment procedure and cost should be harmonized to reduce cost and time of clearance.”

Amiwero also harped on need for the Nigeria Customs Service to comply with the statutory waiver of rent, demurrage associated with delays of goods subjected to dispute resolution and investigative activities as provided in customs and excise management (CEMA) act.

“Dispute resolution and investigative activities is associated with delays that increase cost that leads to abandonment of cargo by the Importers as a result of Rent and Demurrage accrued during the period of dispute settlement and the resolution of the Investigation activities.”
” The Customs and Excise Management Act section 152 conferred on the Customs Service the Right to grant waiver on cargos that is subject to dispute resolution and investigative activities in line international best practice.”

He also insisted that the Federal Government must institute certain reforms to address the movement of goods across borders. 

According to him, as an import dependent nation and a major signatory to the Economic Community of West African States ECOWAS, Trade Liberalisation Scheme ETLS Nigeria must begin to refine and streamline her trade processes at the various land borders, which account for a very large chunk of her import and export trade.

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