The Customs Area Controller, Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Eporwei Charles Edike has called on the exporters and intending exporters of the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) regulated products, processed and semi-processed food commodities to stop cutting corners by avoiding NAFDAC and other government agencies that had to do with regulated products.
Edike who made this know at a one day sensitization workshop for exporters and intending exporters of NAFDAC regulated products, processed and semi-processed food commodities organized by NAFDAC in conjunction with the Apapa Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service in Lagos recently observed that one could not quantify the benefit he would derive from going through regulatory agencies’ hands.
He informed that all the products that go through NAFDAC before they leave the shores of Nigeria, were always well evaluated and classified so that when they got Europe, America or Asia, they would have no problem scaling through the standards tests.
“There is no how we can over-emphasize the importance of products being regulated that are properly processed, properly packaged before they leave our shores. If this were to be on, the recent EU ban on some products from Nigeria e.g. dried beans wouldn’t come up.
“Before now, these are properly tested here, classified before they leave our shores without having any problem. And so, we are calling on all exporters to stop cutting corners by avoiding NAFDAC or other government agencies that have to do with regulated products because you cannot quantify the inherent benefits you will derive from going through their hands”, he said.
He continued, “I remember in the 80s, somebody was exporting container load of shrimps and as soon as he got France, just one package of the entire thing was opened and found to be contaminated, the entire container was rejected.
“And of course here too, we keep getting containers that were rejected, some from America, some from Europe and this is why we are making sure you go through NAFDAC or SON as the case may be so that you are sure that whatever you are exporting from Nigeria, that it will not be a waste, it will not be returned back to you”.
Earlier in his opening speech, the Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhi pointed out that product rejects caused colossal loss to the exporters as we as lead to economic and social damage to Nigeria as a nation adding that that was why the agency called for collaboration between it and all stakeholders in the export sector of the economy.
Represented b y a Deputy Director in the agency, Mrs. Cecilia Makanjuola, Dr. Orhi recounted that over the years, Nigeria had been experiencing cases of continued rejection of processed and semi-processed food commodities originating from the country as a result of exporters’ inability to meet standards required by countries of destination.
According to him,” Upon assumption of office, I decided that we needed to build a strong partnership for promotion of exports of value added agricultural products and nutritional food and as such, we intend to strengthen collaboration with all stakeholders to achieve these objectives and the overall objectives of the Federal government.
“NAFDAC as agency of government is working hard to ensure that all processed, semi processed and food commodities exported out of Nigeria are safe and of high quality. This enlightenment workshop will also impart a valuable knowledge and enhance the performance and skills of our customs officers and officers of our sister government agencies”.
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