Post by Ismail AbdulAzeez on Jan 23, 2021 16:51:56 GMT 1
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has urged importers of regulated products to monitor their clearance online and warned them to be wary of unscrupulous clearing agents. The online clearance is simple, safe and easy, the agency said.
It stated that upon completion, a notice that verifiable Quick Response reader would be issued. It admonished importers of regulated products to be wary of using agents for their clearing processes, as some fraudulent agents still submit forged documents when they (the importers) have genuine documents.
The Director of Ports Inspection of NAFDAC, Prof. Samson Adebayo, made this known in a rejoinder to a publication by the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) entitled: “NAGAFF flays indiscriminate collection of product samples by SON, NAFDAC at ports.”
Emphasising the need for importers to request for NAFDAC sample receipt for products sampled and collected by NAFDAC officers, the agency noted that clearing agents collect the sampling receipts and do not present them to importers because they know that excess samples have been collected and taken away by these clearing agents. It, therefore, warned such agents to desist from such criminal acts be punished.
“The attention of NAFDAC has been drawn to a publication in nigeriamaritime360.com by National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), titled: ‘NAGAFF flays indiscriminate collection of product samples by SON, NAFDAC at ports’.”
The publication, especially the comments made by the team coordinator of NAGAFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko, is disturbing as the issue of the dynamics of sampling of products for laboratory evaluation has been explained to stakeholders.
NAFDAC has over the years at various stakeholders’meetings, workshops and seminars re-emphasised the need for importers to request for NAFDAC sample receipt for products sampled and collected by NAFDAC officers.
“It is within the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for inspection and sampling to issue NAFDAC sample receipts to clients after products sampling. The challenge we have observed is that clearing agents collect these sampling receipts and do not present them to importers because they know that excess samples have been collected and taken away by these clearing agents.
“NAFDAC samples are collected based on international best practices and standards for laboratory testing. Samples drawn are collected and tested and samples kept as retention samples in case of retesting where there is unsatisfactory laboratory results (this means the products failed laboratory testing).
“Where there is a need to return some quantities (especially bulk sampling), the importer is notified via the sampling receipt to visit the laboratory for the returned sample. This is done, especially in cases of bulk raw materials for products packed in bulk bags.
“It is important to collect a whole bag because of the need to ensure that the samples are drawn in an environment free from contamination at the laboratory and not at the ports,” the statement added.
The agency insisted that NAGAFF should be “informed and enlightened that products drawn according to NAFDAC sampling guide cannot be returned because they are the exact quantity required to conduct laboratory analysis”.
Where there is an exemption to this, especially with products in bulk bags, NAFDAC explained that importers are informed via the sampling receipt to request for the excess quantity.
The agency added: “It is important to inform the public of the unprofessional behaviour of some unscrupulous agents operating at the ports (air and sea) and land who indulge in forgery and doctoring of documents.
“NAFDAC processes are carried out online and upon completion, a ‘Release Notice’ that is verifiable using any QR Reader – is issued for each transaction. All importers are admonished to initiate the clearance processes by themselves (rather than asking their agents to do that) because even when they have genuine and complete documents, for whatever reasons some clearing agents still submit forged documents. It should be noted that offenders would be prosecuted when caught.
“Clearing agents are, therefore, warned that where such occurs, the names of such erring clearing agents would be compiled and sent to the office of the Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service for sanctions. You are, therefore, advised to visit ports.nafdac.go.ng for the processing of clearance of your regulated products.
“We encourage importers of NAFDAC-regulated products to monitor the transactions of their clearing agents to avoid any embarrassment that may be caused as a result of unprofessionalism of the agents.
“NAFDAC as a responsible regulatory agency has determined to facilitate trade and comply with the Federal Government’s reform agenda for the various ports. Our drive is to encourage compliance, be customer-focused and improve the ease of doing business and this is why the portal for the clearance of NAFDAC regulated products is made very simple and easy to use.
“In the coming quarters of the year, the agency will embark on rigorous but friendly sensitisation of various stakeholders on the automated port clearance of NAFDAC-regulated products. It is, therefore, important that all importers and the public be better informed than the one – sided information provided by the compliance team coordinator of NAGAFF.
“NAFDAC as a responsible organisation is willing to collaborate with any stakeholder to facilitate trade within the ambit of law – both at various ports and in all the formations and departments of the agency.”
Source: thenationonlineng.net/nafdac-to-importers-be-wary-of-unscrupulous-clearing-agents/
It stated that upon completion, a notice that verifiable Quick Response reader would be issued. It admonished importers of regulated products to be wary of using agents for their clearing processes, as some fraudulent agents still submit forged documents when they (the importers) have genuine documents.
The Director of Ports Inspection of NAFDAC, Prof. Samson Adebayo, made this known in a rejoinder to a publication by the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) entitled: “NAGAFF flays indiscriminate collection of product samples by SON, NAFDAC at ports.”
Emphasising the need for importers to request for NAFDAC sample receipt for products sampled and collected by NAFDAC officers, the agency noted that clearing agents collect the sampling receipts and do not present them to importers because they know that excess samples have been collected and taken away by these clearing agents. It, therefore, warned such agents to desist from such criminal acts be punished.
“The attention of NAFDAC has been drawn to a publication in nigeriamaritime360.com by National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), titled: ‘NAGAFF flays indiscriminate collection of product samples by SON, NAFDAC at ports’.”
The publication, especially the comments made by the team coordinator of NAGAFF, Alhaji Ibrahim Tanko, is disturbing as the issue of the dynamics of sampling of products for laboratory evaluation has been explained to stakeholders.
NAFDAC has over the years at various stakeholders’meetings, workshops and seminars re-emphasised the need for importers to request for NAFDAC sample receipt for products sampled and collected by NAFDAC officers.
“It is within the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for inspection and sampling to issue NAFDAC sample receipts to clients after products sampling. The challenge we have observed is that clearing agents collect these sampling receipts and do not present them to importers because they know that excess samples have been collected and taken away by these clearing agents.
“NAFDAC samples are collected based on international best practices and standards for laboratory testing. Samples drawn are collected and tested and samples kept as retention samples in case of retesting where there is unsatisfactory laboratory results (this means the products failed laboratory testing).
“Where there is a need to return some quantities (especially bulk sampling), the importer is notified via the sampling receipt to visit the laboratory for the returned sample. This is done, especially in cases of bulk raw materials for products packed in bulk bags.
“It is important to collect a whole bag because of the need to ensure that the samples are drawn in an environment free from contamination at the laboratory and not at the ports,” the statement added.
The agency insisted that NAGAFF should be “informed and enlightened that products drawn according to NAFDAC sampling guide cannot be returned because they are the exact quantity required to conduct laboratory analysis”.
Where there is an exemption to this, especially with products in bulk bags, NAFDAC explained that importers are informed via the sampling receipt to request for the excess quantity.
The agency added: “It is important to inform the public of the unprofessional behaviour of some unscrupulous agents operating at the ports (air and sea) and land who indulge in forgery and doctoring of documents.
“NAFDAC processes are carried out online and upon completion, a ‘Release Notice’ that is verifiable using any QR Reader – is issued for each transaction. All importers are admonished to initiate the clearance processes by themselves (rather than asking their agents to do that) because even when they have genuine and complete documents, for whatever reasons some clearing agents still submit forged documents. It should be noted that offenders would be prosecuted when caught.
“Clearing agents are, therefore, warned that where such occurs, the names of such erring clearing agents would be compiled and sent to the office of the Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service for sanctions. You are, therefore, advised to visit ports.nafdac.go.ng for the processing of clearance of your regulated products.
“We encourage importers of NAFDAC-regulated products to monitor the transactions of their clearing agents to avoid any embarrassment that may be caused as a result of unprofessionalism of the agents.
“NAFDAC as a responsible regulatory agency has determined to facilitate trade and comply with the Federal Government’s reform agenda for the various ports. Our drive is to encourage compliance, be customer-focused and improve the ease of doing business and this is why the portal for the clearance of NAFDAC regulated products is made very simple and easy to use.
“In the coming quarters of the year, the agency will embark on rigorous but friendly sensitisation of various stakeholders on the automated port clearance of NAFDAC-regulated products. It is, therefore, important that all importers and the public be better informed than the one – sided information provided by the compliance team coordinator of NAGAFF.
“NAFDAC as a responsible organisation is willing to collaborate with any stakeholder to facilitate trade within the ambit of law – both at various ports and in all the formations and departments of the agency.”
Source: thenationonlineng.net/nafdac-to-importers-be-wary-of-unscrupulous-clearing-agents/