The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) has said that emphasis on revenue generation other than strict adherence to regulatory functions as stipulated in the law setting up most regulatory agencies of government in the country was the major reason why fake and substandard products still flood Nigerian market despite the presence of many regulatory agencies.
The association which made its position known in a letter it addressed to President Muhammadu Buhari dated 6th April, 2016 and was signed by its National Secretary, Mr. Arthur Igwilo recalled that the laws that set up these agencies made them primarily service oriented to protect lives and properties of Nigerians but regretted that this primary role had been relegated to the background as they were now competing with the revenue generating agencies as to which agency would generate the highest revenue.
NAGAFF observed that the officials of these agencies were alleged to compromise by collecting bribes from the people they were supposed to regulate, and look the other way when the laws of the land were being breached.
It stated,” Mr. President Sir, closely related to this is the propensity of some of our people to always try to circumvent the law to their advantage. Unfortunately, they usually find a willing accomplice in officials of these Government Agencies who are willing to compromise their offices for a “pot of porridge”. These officers allow these goods to come into our markets because they have been “settled”.
“Another reason for the flooding of our markets with such goods is the unstable policies of Government which leaves the officials of the Agencies and trading public confused. It is on record that about two years ago most of the regulatory Agencies of the Government were asked to vacate the Ports and operate from outside. We regret to inform you that some of them were returned back to the ports unjustifiably.
“One other thing we have observed is that some of the officials of these Agencies are “round pegs in square holes”. The same thing extends to the appointments of people into strategic positions, especially, the top hierarchy, in these Agencies. Mr. President, you would recall that in our last letter to you sir, we made reference to this, especially as you search for replacements for some heads of Government Agencies in the Maritime industry, who were recently removed. In that letter, we specifically urged you to look inward (i.e. those within) in your bid to appoint substantive CEOs for these Agencies. Experience has shown that considerations other than merit and competence were used in such appointments in the past. We therefore urge Mr. President to avoid this mistake”.
It therefore called on the President to ensure that “round pegs were put in round holes” in terms of employment and appointments into these Agencies even as it called for adequate empowerment of officials in terms of training and retraining, as well as the provision of tools to work with saying that these would prepare them to be adequately fortified to discharge their responsibilities in line with the international best practice.
“Mr.President, such officials should be adequately remunerated with mouth-watering incentive packages to encourage them shun overtures from those wishing to compromise them”, it said.
While emphasizing the porosity of the nation’s borders, NAGAFF called for adequate manpower to effectively monitor and police the nation’s borders adding that emphasis should be placed on preventing dangerous goods from coming in at all rather than placing emphasis on apprehending them when they had already come in.
It added,” These Agencies should be proactive in making sure that the countries of origin of these products which we can identify through diligent profiling are made to stop conniving with some unpatriotic Nigerians using the relevant diplomatic channels.
“Sir, we have gone through the relevant statutes establishing these Agencies, and it is our opinion that if these laws are efficiently and effectively enforced, it would go a long way in discouraging the flouting
of laws aimed at checking the influx of fake, adulterated and substandard goods into our markets. Sir, we wish to reiterate that our intervention on some issues at the entry points of international trade in our country is borne out of love for the country. It is also in recognition of the strategic role nature has positioned you to play in the chequered history of our great nation, and our desire to be your strategic partners in this divine duty.
“Mr. President, it shall be a civic responsibility on our part as your strategic partners and Nigerians who voted for you personally other than APC as a political party to understand that the stakes are very high. The expectation of Nigerians is very huge. The view of the greater numbers of Nigerians is that the name calling of PDP is not necessary any longer because it is part of the reasons for the change of Government through the ballot boxes”.
The association the letter by saying that the anti-corruption war of the present administration was the desire of the greater number of the Nigerian people informing the president that he had the support of everybody including the opposition thereby urging him to face and confront good governance as the roadmap to a new Nigeria they dreamt.
“We shall in due course be more specific to detailing those involved in aiding passage of dangerous goods into Nigeria. However, Mr. President we must insist that our laws are made to be obeyed and where such laws are not obeyed or enforced, it is not the best way to building a progressive society”, NAGAFF stated.
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