Lagos – The National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) on Thursday urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to relax its foreign exchange restriction policy on some imported items.
The Public Relations Officer of the association, Mr Stanley Ezenga, made the plea in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.
He said the restriction had adversely affected both importers and freight forwarders who had been finding it difficult to access foreign exchange.
“Honestly, the restriction has adversely affected us because we need easy access to foreign exchange to import these items.
“If you cannot get forex, what can you do as a freight forwarder?
[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
“We understand that the policy is meant to defend the naira in the face of the dwindling oil revenue but what we are saying is that it should have a human face and should not hurt businesses.
“Forty one items is whole lot and we are calling on the Federal Government, through the CBN, to ease the restriction so that some of our businesses can pick up again “he told NAN.
Ezenga also said the restriction had pushed up prices of those items barred from the foreign exchange transaction.
He said the common man had been at the receiving end.
The freight forwarder advised the Federal Government to devise sustainable means of saving the scarce foreign exchange by promoting exports and blocking revenue loopholes.
Ezenga said the directive by the Comptroller-General of Customs, Retired Col. Hameed Ali, on assets declarations was “a step in the right direction’’.
He said the exercise would help to check corruption in the service, adding that it would ensure seamless cargo clearance at the ports.
“It is a step in the right direction. We support Col. Hameed Ali on this and we will stand by him to ensure that corruption is completely stamped out in the service, “ Ezenga told NAN.