Food auctioning:  Lagos lessons would be used to coordinate further operations –  CG  Customs

Following concern on why the current auctioning of food items by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) was only operational in Lagos and thereafter suspended, the Comptroller General, Nigeria Customs Service, Adewale Adeniyi, has explained why the programme was suspended, mentioning that the need to learn from the lessons of the experience while auctioning seized food items in Lagos State was key to continue the process.  The Customs boss on Tuesday while making a presentation at the resumption of the sectoral debate series organised by the House of Representatives, noted that President Bola Tinubu has directed the NCS to auction food items seized at the Nigerian borders on their way out of the country, to vulnerable Nigerians.

Adeniyi further said that imported seized foodstuff are to be sold to local markets nationwide on the orders of the President.

He noted that the implementation of the programme kicked off in Lagos, but was suspended due to stampede incidence, noting that lessons learnt in Lagos would be used to coordinate the programme when it resumes.

“Mr President has directed that we sell directly to needy Nigerians food items produced locally but which were seized. This is one of the ways to address hunger and food scarcity we are facing. We have started this in Lagos.

“Also, the President has also directed that imported food items seized by the Nigeria Customs Service should be sold back to the local markets for resale to Nigerians,” he said.

While fielding questions from lawmakers in a session presided over by Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, the Customs boss explaining  why the programme was temporarily discontinued by the NCS, said, “We started in Lagos but you know what happened. There was a stampede. No matter the number of bags of rice you share or sell, it will not be enough.

“We have to focus on one place at a time. We will use the lessons we learnt in Lagos to coordinate this programme when we resume.

“We arrested in two weeks about 120 trucks of food items going out of the country. These are the food items Mr President has asked us to give back to the local markets where the arrests were made. We believe this will drive down the price of food items in these places,” he added.