The NAFDAC Head of Investigation and Enforcement, Federal Taskforce, Embugushiki-Musa Godiya, also said the agency would work to ensure that fake cosmetics and other counterfeit products were completely wiped out of the country.
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Prevailing exchange rate determines duty – NCS
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says the prevailing exchange rate set by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) determines its rates of import duty collection and not market forces.
The Spokesperson of NCS, Abdullahi Maiwada, said this in an interview with the newsmen on Wednesday in Abuja.
Maiwada said that importers transact their businesses in dollars, which required them to obtain “Form M” from the CBN.
NAN recalls that the Nigeria Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) had recently suggested that the collection of customs duty should be charged in Naira instead of dollars.
The President of NACCIMA, Dele Oye, made the call in response to an April 8 circular by the CBN stopping the further use of foreign currency collateral for Naira loans.
Oye had suggested that all bonafide government transactions should also be done in the country’s legal tender.
According to the NCS spokesperson, the service collect duty on imported items using the prevailing rate for its calculations, while exporters use the Nigerian Export Proceed (NXP) form to repatriate their earnings.
He said that the use of the rate was aimed at converting the value of imported items into the Naira equivalent in order to appropriately assess their worth.
“The dollar rate is being used to calculate imported goods to ensure the requisite foreign exchange earnings for the country.
“If people export, it earns us foreign exchange because they will bring dollars back to Nigeria.
“If they are bringing dollars back, when they want to export items, they need to use dollars to buy items into Nigeria,” he said.
Maiwada said that customs value was based on the cost of purchasing the imported items, which involved Cost, Insurance and Freight (CIF).
“Based on that, we will be able to arrive at the customs value, and even the evaluation involves processes at arriving at the value of the item.
“If that value is in dollars, it will be converted to Naira, and the algorithms will be applied, which determines the percentage rate of duty,” he said.
He said that algorithm referred to a set of rules or procedures used by the NCS to calculate the amount of duties and taxes payable on imported goods.
“These algorithms take into account factors such as the value of the goods, their country of origin, any applicable trade agreements or tariffs, and any exemptions or preferences that may apply,” he said.
He said that fluctuation in exchange rate affected trade processes when applied in the clearance of consignments.
According to him, trade is required to be predictable so that issues such as the calculation of landing cost of items and profits can be determined.
He said that unpredictable processes of transactions were inimical to trade facilitation.
Meanwhile, the Comptroller-General of NCS, Adewale Adeniyi, announced that in the first quarter of 2024, CBN approved 28 different exchange rates for calculation of import duty.
He said that such fluctuations resulted in an average applied exchange rate of N1,314 to the dollar in the clearance of customs goods within the quarter.
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Invoke executive order for state, LG police, Afenifere tells Tinubu
The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and political organisation, Afenifere, on Saturday, urged President Bola Tinubu to invoke an Executive Order for the establishment of state and local government Police.
Afenifere, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi,in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, also called for the erection of close-circuit television sets and deployment of modern technology for security purposes in strategic locations to end insecurity.
Ajayi said, “There are indications that Tinubu is desirous of putting an end to this deleterious menace. Towards the end of January this year, he approved the procurement of digital tracking tools to enhance the apprehension of bandits, terrorists and armed robbers.
“On Monday, April 22, this year, he used the occasion of addressing participants at the African Counter-Terrorism Summit which opened on that day in Abuja to assure everyone of his government’s readiness to ensure greater security. Unfortunately, recent happenings have not shown that the President’s desire in this respect is being worked upon.
“President Tinubu should get state and local government police off the ground immediately through the invocation of an Executive Order while the process of amending the Constitution continues.
“Close circuit television sets, deployment of modern technology for security purposes including drones must be effected immediately.”
He explained that the statement was motivated by the recent reports of banditry and kidnapping in Ogun, Edo, Ekiti, Oyo, Kogi, Zamfara and Niger States, respectively which made a research organization declare Nigeria as one of the top nations where kidnap ranks highest globally.
Ajayi noted that Fulani herders and farmers’ clashes kept occurring in Osun, Ondo and Oyo State; Otu, Igbeti and Alaga in the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State were the latest victims.
The Afenifere spokesperson also said, “In order to end insecurity, enhance people’s welfare and ensure the sustenance of Nigeria as one of the top investment destinations in Africa as desired by the government, there is the urgent need by the Federal Government and security agencies to be more innovative and decisive.”
He lamented that banditry, including armed robbery, kidnapping was still occurring on South-West roads such as Lagos-Ibadan, Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode; Akure-Ilesa-Ibadan; Ore-Ijebu Ode-Lagos, Ikirun-Osogbo-Ilesa; Lokoja-Abuja, Owo-Benin and Ibadan-Iseyin-Saki.
“Latest reports have it that on Monday, May 13 instant, eight cocoa farmers were kidnapped at Marindoti Cocoa Farmers’ settlement in Ovia South-West Local Government Area of Edo State. Three students of Millicent Secondary School in the same area on their way to write their Senior Secondary School Examination, were also kidnapped at the same time.
“A sum of N31 million was reportedly paid to ransom three people who were kidnapped at Longe village on Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Road last week Sunday. On Thursday, May 16, one Seliat Adeniji (nee Raji) was kidnapped in her Ebedi home in Iseyin, Oyo State. Her guard was killed in the process.
“Hon Bello Hassan representing Zurmi/Shinkafi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives last Tuesday claimed that terrorists have sacked about 50 communities and abducted over 500 people in his area of Zamfara State as bandits overran Zurmi, the second most populous town in the state killing palace officers as well as policemen.”
To put a serious check on all these, the Afenifere spokesman said that there was an urgent need to dig deep into the roots of the menace and to be decisive in applying the necessary measures.
News
NAFDAC shuts cosmetic shops in Lagos, seizes counterfeit products
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has shut three shops and raided others during a clampdown on the sale of unregistered “Dr. Teal’s” brand of cosmetics in Lagos State.
The agency disclosed this in a post on its X handle on Saturday, stating that the action came after a complaint from the trademark holder.
The statement read, “NAFDAC has shut down three cosmetics shops and raided others, targeting the sale of unregistered ‘Dr. Teal’s’ brand cosmetics. This action follows a complaint from the trademark holder regarding potential counterfeit products.
“Two suspected shops along Excellent Line at the Trade Fair Complex were targeted, resulting in sealed shops and invitation letters issued to attendants.”
It added that another development unfolded at Okas Global Link Limited where NAFDAC confiscated over 200 cartons of various Dr. Teal’s products and other unregistered cosmetics, suspecting them to be the source of distribution.
A shop identified as Cubana Stores at Phil Hallmark Plaza was also reported to have been sealed for stocking and selling the moisturising body and bath products of the alleged unregistered Dr. Teal’s brand.
NAFDAC added that according to its regulations, shop owners found guilty of selling unregistered products face penalties of up to ₦5m fine.
It said shop owners were also being questioned as part of ongoing investigations.
In the statement, the agency emphasised the health risks associated with fake cosmetics, stating the potential dangers of using products containing harmful substances.
News
Traders, soldiers clash at Banex Plaza in Abuja
The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has deployed intelligence officers to Banex – an electronics and telecommunications gadgets market, in Abuja following a conflict that ensued between soldiers and some traders on Saturday.
A viral video seen by our correspondent on X on Saturday showed a multitude of civilians overpowering some soldiers during a free-for-all fight at Banex.
The Defence Headquarters, and the spokesperson for the Nigerian Army, Onyema Nwachukwu could not be reached for comments as of press time.
Meanwhile, a trader who simply identified himself as Abdul, told our correspondent on Saturday that the conflict ensued over the sale of a mobile phone.
“There’s a problem at Banex now. Some soldiers came to complain about a phone, and during an argument with the traders, a fight ensued,” Abdul simply revealed.
When contacted over the development, the spokesperson for the FCT Police Command, SP Josephine Adeh said the Commissioner of Police, Benett Igweh has deployed officers of the FCT Intelligence Response Team to the scene of the incident.
“The CP has deployed the Intelligence Response Team to the scene,” Adeh confirmed.
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