A renowned agro-allied exporter, Capt John Okakpu, has disclosed that a national task force is underway to drive away multiple agencies checking agricultural products that are meant for export through the Nigerian airports.
Okakpu, the Chief Executive Officer of ABX World, said multiple agencies at the airports had stymied the growth of the agro-allied export subsector.
He spoke in a chat with our correspondent on the sidelines of the recent inauguration of the Export Processing and Packaging Centre by the Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) PLC.
Daily Trust reports that over the years, Nigeria has missed out of the $250bn agro-export global value chain as most Nigerian products are rejected abroad.
With the presence of multiple agencies, including customs, immigration, quarantine, NDLEA and Port Health, many perishables get spoiled in the process of clearance.
Okakpu, who has been actively promoting agricultural exports over the years, said only the customs and the National Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) were needed to facilitate export of agricultural products.
Okakpu, who is the host of a national technical workgroup working with the federal government to promote agro exports, said the multiple agencies must be forced to leave the ports.
He said, “These are the issues we need to bring up and work with the government to stop it. We will set up a national task force to be headed by a retired general to be able to enforce whatever decision is, because these agencies, if we tell them to leave, they are not going to leave.
“I keep saying over the years, we need only customs and NAQS. Any other agency, forget it. You have to go and queue up behind these two based on your areas. Because if you export any product from here to anywhere in the world, they will ask you for one document – phyto (Phytosanitary Certificate).
“So, what are these people doing here? And if they find inconsistency in your phyto, they will now go and take your customs entry. So, these are the only two agencies.”
