Steve Agbota
The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), has raised the alarm over the importation of expired and low quality tomato paste from Iran.
The NCS said the expired tomato paste has arrived the nation’s seaports and now awaiting clearance into local markets.
The Service owever revealed that the expired product is injurious to health and mandated all concerned officers of its officers to do all within their power to retrieve the product from circulation.
In a memo dated July 5, 2019 and tagged, “Re: Importation of Expired Iranian Tomato Paste”, obtained by Daily Sun, the Comptroller General of the service, Col. Hameed Ali (retd), directed all Customs Area Comptrollers, heads of the Federal Operations Units and heads of units at all seaports, airports and land borders to be on the alert.
The memo, which was signed by the Deputy Comptroller General, Tariff and Trade, Isa Talatu, directed strict compliance by Service heads.
The memo reads: “It has been reported that six containers of expired and low quality Iranian tomato paste, SHIRIN ASAL MY TOMATO, with brix 20-22 instead of the recommended brix 27-29, has been imported into the country by MTV Investment Limited.
“Consumption of the paste is said to be harmful to human health. Consequently, all CACs are directed to put appropriate mechanism in place to debar entry of the said paste and liaise with relevant agencies to forestall distribution and consumption.