Insecurity: Group canvasses for national debate on Pre-Shipment Inspection cancellation 



The federal government has been urged to embark on research on the need to combat insecurity in the nation by revisiting the lacuna in ports across the country.


A Non-Governmental Organization, the Social Integrity Network, (SIN) in a statement issued at the weekend, attributed the cancellation of the Pre-Shipment Inspection to the reason why the fight against insurgency is still failing.


Spokesperson of the group, Mallam Ibrahim Issah, noted that there is need for a public debate to address the merit or demerit of the action as approved by the Nigeria Customs Service some years back.


"If the federal government is really after the protection of lives and property of Nigerians, there is need for President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse the policy with immediate effect and also probe further the damages done so far onnthe Nigeria's economy.


"This is reason why the huge sums of money voted to combat insecurity is yet to manifest while many Nigerians are dying on daily basis.


" We think it is worthwhile that a national debate be organised for experts to give their opinions on the Pre-Shipment Inspection cancellation while we urge the leadership of the 9th National Assembly to quickly investigate this action before it collapses Nigeria’s economy.


"It is saddening to note that the Pre-Shipment Inspection that was cancelled during the tenure of the former Comptroller of Customs, Alhaji Dikko Inde Abdullahi, has further paved ways for bandwagon effects. We want to categorically ask that, was the cancellation approval granted by the President and Commander-In-Chief, by the
leadership of the National Assembly, by the Attorney-General and Minister for Justice or by their personal decision?"


However, the group also implored the Senate President, Senator Ahmad Lawan to set up committee to instigate the activities of the Standard Organization of Nigeria to defend the many allegations against it by the manufacturers.


"There is need for SON to give detail accounts of how substandard roofing sheets are finding their ways into the Nigerian markets despite the MANCAP and SONCAP fees imposed on importers and exporters.

"If the Nigeria Custom Service and the Standard Organisation of Nigeria cannot fish out the Smugglers, the Federal Government of Nigeria should command the Department of State, Nigeria Police and the Presidential Committee on Trade Malpractices to join hands together to deploy the machineries in their arsenals to move into the matter and detect those behind the menace of smuggling in Nigeria", he added.

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