FG TO PROSECUTE ILLEGAL IMPORTERS OF FROZEN FISH
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Federal Government says it will henceforth arrest, prosecute and fine illegal
importers of frozen foods into the country through the land borders and seal
cold rooms where it is sold.
Sen.
Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of state for Agriculture and Rural
Development, announced this while speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Thursday.
Lokpobiri
said the government would also set up a taskforce to seal and prosecute
operators of cold room, who deal on those illegally imported produce.
The
minister said the ministry was working in collaboration with the Nigeria
Customs Service, Nigerian Navy and the Nigerian Marine Police to actualise the
plan.
He said the
offenders would pay a fine of $250,000 or attract five years imprisonment or
both in addition to the forfeiture and destruction of the produce as stipulated
by the law.
He
listed some of the fishes usually being imported to include tilapia, red pacus,
river bream, pangassius, horse mackerel, sardine and croaker, among others.
Lokpobiri
said the illegal venture had resulted to huge loss of revenue, decrease in
local production and loss of jobs, as well as discouragement by farmers.
The
minister, who said that the move was to encourage local production and exports,
disclosed that the country’s annual demand on fish was currently at 3.2 million
tonnes and deficit at 1.9 million tonnes.
According
to him, the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture in the ministry is the only
competent authority empowered by the Nigeria Sea Fisheries Act to issue distant
water fishing licence for the importation of frozen fish into Nigeria.
“The
department does not issue licence for the importation of frozen farmed fish
into Nigeria through the land borders.
“The
smuggling of unhealthy frozen fish into the country is detrimental to the
progress being made toward guaranteeing the good health and nutrition of
Nigerians.
“We will continue to partner with the
Nigeria Customs Service, the Navy, marine policy to see how we can clamp down
on the offenders.
“Even
those that have brought the produce into the country, we are setting up a
taskforce that will go round different cold rooms, like what Customs is doing
to rice.
“Any
cold room that we find these fishes, we will seal them up, ensure you pay the
$250,000 fine because laws are meant to be obeyed,’’ he said.
The
minister said that consumption of those imported frozen foods were major cause
of some health challenges being experienced in the country.
Lokpobiri,
who frowned at the rising cases of kidney disease among children between the
ages of five and seven, assured that the government would fight the menace to a
halt.
In
an interview, Mr. Lamina Rasheed, the National Chairman, Association of
Indigenous Seafood Stakeholders, appealed to the Federal Government to release
foreign exchange (FOREX) for the importation of fish.
He
said that getting FOREX at a cheaper rate would ensure reduction in the price
of the produce and make it affordable.
The
chairman said the illegal importation of fishes was detrimental to their
business.
Rasheed
said that members of the association paid import duty of 14 per cent, which
amounted to millions of naira to the Federal Government while the illegal
importers pay next to nothing through the land borders.
According
to him, it is difficult to compete with them in the market because they slash
their prices. READ MORE
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