BY AMOS TAUNA, KADUNA – A Non-Governmental Organization, Social Integrity Network (SIN), has challenged the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmed Lawan, to as a matter of urgency and national importance set up a committee to probe the cancellation of the pre-shipment inspection in the country.
The group noted that the cancellation has created room through which dangerous weapons are finding their ways into the country.
It noted that the cancellation of the pre-shipment inspection was effected by the Nigeria Customs Service during the tenure of Alhaji Dikko Inde as Comptroller General of Customs.
Addressing newsmen in Kaduna, spokesman of the group, Mallam Ibrahim Issa said that if the Federal Government is serious about the fight against insurgency, it has to revisit the matter and reverse the action with immediate effect.
Iss said; “Despite all the money being spent on insurgency operations, the federal government is yet to overcome the ugly challenges which has ravaged many states in the country while many innocent souls have been lost.
“It is our desire to swiftly respond against the looming crises of economic sabotage which is posing serious threat to the livelihood of average Nigerians.
“We all woke up to a widely spread news reports by a group under the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), that is, Galvanised Iron and Steel Manufacturers Association )(GISMA), with the alert of planning to lay off 20,000 workforces into the labour market.”
The group noted that the 30 days warning alert given by GISMA is due to the collapsed of some
sectors of the Nigeria economy precipitated by massive smuggling of substandard products into Nigeria, targeted at collapsing the local manufacturers.
Issa further said; “Our investigation has revealed that smuggled substandard steel products have flooded every nook and cranny of Nigeria thereby subjecting local manufacturers to serious economic and social investment misfortune.
“Our Questions now is what are the agencies saddled with these responsibilities such as the Nigeria Customs Service and Standard Organization of Nigeria doing about it in order to support President Muhammadu Buhari in his efforts to industrialize the nation?”
