By Samuel
The Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) will resume its export certification duties at all ports following a directive from the Federal Government on Friday.
According to a statement issued by NAQS, the government gave the directive to ensure that the export of agricultural produce thrive amid challenges posed by the novel Corona Virus (COVID-19) pandemic.
NAQS, an offshoot of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) is responsible for promoting and regulating sanitary and phytosanitary measures regarding the import and export of agricultural produce.
Director-General of NAQS, Dr. Vincent Isegbe, revealed that the government authorised the agency to resume export certification on agricultural produce so as to lessen the burden on the private and public sector.
“Export of agricultural produce will soon pick up and gather pace as a result.
”The Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation has also issued a consequential whole-of-government directive instructing ministries, departments and agencies as well as state governments to cooperate with NAQS to enable a well-choreographed restoration of export traffic for the benefit of all Nigerians,” Isegbe’s remarks read in part.
As directed by the FG, Isegbe added that state governments were expected to grant the right to free passage to the consignments along efficient corridors that have been mapped by NAQS under a suitable logistics-support arrangement.
The aforementioned was in respect to the lockdown order issued by the federal and various states government to curb the spread of the pandemic.
“This brought almost all the states under one form of curfew or the other, and the ban on interstate transportation, institutional and logistical barricades blocking human and vehicular movement everywhere”
“The situation made the passage of agricultural commodities from the remote production spots to the ports which are mostly located in the urban areas difficult” he added.
Relevant agencies such as the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Nigerian Aviation Handling Company PLC ( NAHCO Aviance), Skyway Aviation Handling Company (SAHCO), Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Vehicle Inspection Office (VIO), the Nigerian Police and other security agencies were also included to work in line with the directive.
The agencies, according to the statement, are under obligation to work with NAQS and various stakeholders to revive agricultural export in the country.
The DG urged stakeholders in the agricultural export environment to play their respective roles in fostering agribusinesses in order to boost the economy.
He further noted that NAQS will balance the consideration of professional protocols and adhere strictly to all recommended COVID-19 safety precautions in discharging its statutory mandate of inspection and certification of agricultural products.