Confusion as FG sacks NDLEA, recalls NAFDAC to seaports

THE Federal Government, through statements recently issued by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), sacked the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) from the ports and recalled the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), four months after issuing a statement that sacked the NAFDAC and reinstated the NDLEA to the ports.

It would be recalled that the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) in February 2018 had issued a statement signed by its General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Abdullahi Goje, that the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) has directed that the NDLEA alongside seven other agencies which included NPA, Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Security (DSS), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), and Port Health should have physical representation at all port locations in the country.

Findings further revealed that in the NPA statement of February 13, 2018, the NAFDAC was not listed among the eight agencies authorized to operate and have physical representation at all ports location in the country.

However, in another contradictory statement issued on May 2, 2018, the NPA stated that the Vice President and Chairman of the PEBEC, Professor Yemi Osinbajo has directed that the NDLEA should  not come near the ports because only the NAFDAC and seven other agencies which included the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS); Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA); Nigeria Police Force; Department of State Security (DSS); Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) and Port Health are allowed to operate and have physical representation at all port locations in the country.

That the February statement omitted the NAFDAC and listed the NDLEA among agencies allowed to operate inside the ports, while the May statement omitted the NDLEA and listed the NAFDAC among agencies allowed to operate inside the ports, is causing confusion among stakeholders operating inside the ports.