Group urges Buhari to reverse cancellation of pre-shipment inspection

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), the Social Integrity Network (SIN), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse with immediate effect the cancellation of the Pre-Shipment Inspection policy, saying that the cancellation was the reason why the fight against insurgency was still failing in the country.

The group, while also urging the president to also probe further the damages done so far to Nigeria’s economy on account of such cancellation, equally tasked the National Assembly to revisit the lacuna in ports across the country, through research in order to combat insecurity in the country.

Spokesperson of the group, Mallam Ibrahim Issah, said this in a release, noting that there was a need for a public debate to address the merit or demerit of the cancellation of the policy as approved by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) some years back.

“If the Federal Government is really after the protection of lives and property of Nigerians, there is a need for President Muhammadu Buhari to reverse the policy with immediate effect and also probe further the damages done so far on Nigeria’s economy.

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

“We think it is worthwhile that a national debate is 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,” the group said.

“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?” the group queried.