diff --git a/.ncurc.json b/.ncurc.json
index 790cc73..a556950 100644
--- a/.ncurc.json
+++ b/.ncurc.json
@@ -1,11 +1,4 @@
 {
   "reject": [
-    "async",
-    "sinon",
-    "events",
-    "node-rdkafka",
-    "raw-body",
-    "tap-xunit",
-    "tape"
   ]
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 8998eef..47b8f87 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -368,12 +368,9 @@
       "dev": true
     },
     "async": {
-      "version": "2.6.2",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/async/-/async-2.6.2.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-H1qVYh1MYhEEFLsP97cVKqCGo7KfCyTt6uEWqsTBr9SO84oK9Uwbyd/yCW+6rKJLHksBNUVWZDAjfS+Ccx0Bbg==",
-      "requires": {
-        "lodash": "^4.17.11"
-      }
+      "version": "3.1.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/async/-/async-3.1.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-4vx/aaY6j/j3Lw3fbCHNWP0pPaTCew3F6F3hYyl/tHs/ndmV1q7NW9T5yuJ2XAGwdQrP+6Wu20x06U4APo/iQQ=="
     },
     "balanced-match": {
       "version": "1.0.0",
@@ -2233,22 +2230,15 @@
       "dev": true
     },
     "http-errors": {
-      "version": "1.7.2",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/http-errors/-/http-errors-1.7.2.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-uUQBt3H/cSIVfch6i1EuPNy/YsRSOUBXTVfZ+yR7Zjez3qjBz6i9+i4zjNaoqcoFVI4lQJ5plg63TvGfRSDCRg==",
+      "version": "1.7.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/http-errors/-/http-errors-1.7.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-ZTTX0MWrsQ2ZAhA1cejAwDLycFsd7I7nVtnkT3Ol0aqodaKW+0CTZDQ1uBv5whptCnc8e8HeRRJxRs0kmm/Qfw==",
       "requires": {
         "depd": "~1.1.2",
-        "inherits": "2.0.3",
+        "inherits": "2.0.4",
         "setprototypeof": "1.1.1",
         "statuses": ">= 1.5.0 < 2",
         "toidentifier": "1.0.0"
-      },
-      "dependencies": {
-        "inherits": {
-          "version": "2.0.3",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/inherits/-/inherits-2.0.3.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha1-Yzwsg+PaQqUC9SRmAiSA9CCCYd4="
-        }
       }
     },
     "http-proxy-agent": {
@@ -2842,9 +2832,9 @@
       }
     },
     "lolex": {
-      "version": "3.1.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/lolex/-/lolex-3.1.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-zFo5MgCJ0rZ7gQg69S4pqBsLURbFw11X68C18OcJjJQbqaXm2NoTrGl1IMM3TIz0/BnN1tIs2tzmmqvCsOMMjw==",
+      "version": "4.2.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/lolex/-/lolex-4.2.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-gKO5uExCXvSm6zbF562EvM+rd1kQDnB9AZBbiQVzf1ZmdDpxUSvpnAaVOP83N/31mRK8Ml8/VE8DMvsAZQ+7wg==",
       "dev": true
     },
     "loose-envify": {
@@ -3119,14 +3109,6 @@
         "just-extend": "^4.0.2",
         "lolex": "^4.1.0",
         "path-to-regexp": "^1.7.0"
-      },
-      "dependencies": {
-        "lolex": {
-          "version": "4.2.0",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/lolex/-/lolex-4.2.0.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha512-gKO5uExCXvSm6zbF562EvM+rd1kQDnB9AZBbiQVzf1ZmdDpxUSvpnAaVOP83N/31mRK8Ml8/VE8DMvsAZQ+7wg==",
-          "dev": true
-        }
       }
     },
     "node-alias": {
@@ -3178,12 +3160,12 @@
       }
     },
     "node-rdkafka": {
-      "version": "2.6.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/node-rdkafka/-/node-rdkafka-2.6.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-mBRq7/7hgnRmbfX8TLPK0JVQYxu/kkuHVT4W7vLXc6wQoV5JfInpV0hWtkGIBjNzFyYSk0faJDIqlDQ2k9vy9Q==",
+      "version": "2.7.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/node-rdkafka/-/node-rdkafka-2.7.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-LrPTNtAoENJedyvYDI/AhBieq+aaFD+ImEIFAxJzL1HAYDZdCwe+TjivSK6N4YLXtxlbXVA1i43DK04VOWebeA==",
       "requires": {
         "bindings": "^1.3.1",
-        "nan": "^2.11.1"
+        "nan": "^2.14.0"
       }
     },
     "normalize-package-data": {
@@ -4266,12 +4248,12 @@
       "integrity": "sha512-XRsRjdf+j5ml+y/6GKHPZbrF/8p2Yga0JPtdqTIY2Xe5ohJPD9saDJJLPvp9+NSBprVvevdXZybnj2cv8OEd0A=="
     },
     "raw-body": {
-      "version": "2.4.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/raw-body/-/raw-body-2.4.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-4Oz8DUIwdvoa5qMJelxipzi/iJIi40O5cGV1wNYp5hvZP8ZN0T+jiNkL0QepXs+EsQ9XJ8ipEDoiH70ySUJP3Q==",
+      "version": "2.4.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/raw-body/-/raw-body-2.4.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-9WmIKF6mkvA0SLmA2Knm9+qj89e+j1zqgyn8aXGd7+nAduPoqgI9lO57SAZNn/Byzo5P7JhXTyg9PzaJbH73bA==",
       "requires": {
         "bytes": "3.1.0",
-        "http-errors": "1.7.2",
+        "http-errors": "1.7.3",
         "iconv-lite": "0.4.24",
         "unpipe": "1.0.0"
       }
@@ -4659,35 +4641,18 @@
       }
     },
     "sinon": {
-      "version": "7.2.4",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/sinon/-/sinon-7.2.4.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-FGlcfrkiBRfaEIKRw8s/9mk4nP4AMGswvKFixLo+AzsOhskjaBCHAHGLMd8pCJpQGS+9ZI71px6qoQUyvADeyA==",
+      "version": "7.4.2",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/sinon/-/sinon-7.4.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-pY5RY99DKelU3pjNxcWo6XqeB1S118GBcVIIdDi6V+h6hevn1izcg2xv1hTHW/sViRXU7sUOxt4wTUJ3gsW2CQ==",
       "dev": true,
       "requires": {
-        "@sinonjs/commons": "^1.3.0",
-        "@sinonjs/formatio": "^3.1.0",
-        "@sinonjs/samsam": "^3.1.1",
+        "@sinonjs/commons": "^1.4.0",
+        "@sinonjs/formatio": "^3.2.1",
+        "@sinonjs/samsam": "^3.3.3",
         "diff": "^3.5.0",
-        "lolex": "^3.1.0",
-        "nise": "^1.4.10",
+        "lolex": "^4.2.0",
+        "nise": "^1.5.2",
         "supports-color": "^5.5.0"
-      },
-      "dependencies": {
-        "has-flag": {
-          "version": "3.0.0",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/has-flag/-/has-flag-3.0.0.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha1-tdRU3CGZriJWmfNGfloH87lVuv0=",
-          "dev": true
-        },
-        "supports-color": {
-          "version": "5.5.0",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/supports-color/-/supports-color-5.5.0.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha512-QjVjwdXIt408MIiAqCX4oUKsgU2EqAGzs2Ppkm4aQYbjm+ZEWEcW4SfFNTr4uMNZma0ey4f5lgLrkB0aX0QMow==",
-          "dev": true,
-          "requires": {
-            "has-flag": "^3.0.0"
-          }
-        }
       }
     },
     "sisteransi": {
@@ -5059,9 +5024,9 @@
       }
     },
     "tap-xunit": {
-      "version": "2.3.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tap-xunit/-/tap-xunit-2.3.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-YVsURNvn1wfVUWb5wjansxhfbfeo2hOBTUbVgZoaMO8lyZzpiSi9IiZTZ7JG56m6A49LeWjfJIx/SnAre41V/A==",
+      "version": "2.4.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tap-xunit/-/tap-xunit-2.4.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-qcZStDtjjYjMKAo7QNiCtOW256g3tuSyCSe5kNJniG1Q2oeOExJq4vm8CwboHZURpkXAHvtqMl4TVL7mcbMVVA==",
       "dev": true,
       "requires": {
         "duplexer": "~0.1.1",
@@ -5139,21 +5104,21 @@
       }
     },
     "tape": {
-      "version": "4.10.1",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tape/-/tape-4.10.1.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-G0DywYV1jQeY3axeYnXUOt6ktnxS9OPJh97FGR3nrua8lhWi1zPflLxcAHavZ7Jf3qUfY7cxcVIVFa4mY2IY1w==",
+      "version": "4.11.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/tape/-/tape-4.11.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-yixvDMX7q7JIs/omJSzSZrqulOV51EC9dK8dM0TzImTIkHWfe2/kFyL5v+d9C+SrCMaICk59ujsqFAVidDqDaA==",
       "dev": true,
       "requires": {
         "deep-equal": "~1.0.1",
         "defined": "~1.0.0",
         "for-each": "~0.3.3",
         "function-bind": "~1.1.1",
-        "glob": "~7.1.3",
+        "glob": "~7.1.4",
         "has": "~1.0.3",
-        "inherits": "~2.0.3",
+        "inherits": "~2.0.4",
         "minimist": "~1.2.0",
         "object-inspect": "~1.6.0",
-        "resolve": "~1.10.0",
+        "resolve": "~1.11.1",
         "resumer": "~0.0.0",
         "string.prototype.trim": "~1.1.2",
         "through": "~2.3.8"
@@ -5178,9 +5143,9 @@
           "dev": true
         },
         "resolve": {
-          "version": "1.10.1",
-          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/resolve/-/resolve-1.10.1.tgz",
-          "integrity": "sha512-KuIe4mf++td/eFb6wkaPbMDnP6kObCaEtIDuHOUED6MNUo4K670KZUHuuvYPZDxNF0WVLw49n06M2m2dXphEzA==",
+          "version": "1.11.1",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/resolve/-/resolve-1.11.1.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-vIpgF6wfuJOZI7KKKSP+HmiKggadPQAdsp5HiC1mvqnfp0gF1vdwgBWZIdrVft9pgqoMFQN+R7BSWZiBxx+BBw==",
           "dev": true,
           "requires": {
             "path-parse": "^1.0.6"
@@ -5691,6 +5656,16 @@
         "stack-trace": "0.0.x",
         "triple-beam": "^1.3.0",
         "winston-transport": "^4.3.0"
+      },
+      "dependencies": {
+        "async": {
+          "version": "2.6.3",
+          "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/async/-/async-2.6.3.tgz",
+          "integrity": "sha512-zflvls11DCy+dQWzTW2dzuilv8Z5X/pjfmZOWba6TNIVDm+2UDaJmXSOXlasHKfNBs8oo3M0aT50fDEWfKZjXg==",
+          "requires": {
+            "lodash": "^4.17.14"
+          }
+        }
       }
     },
     "winston-transport": {
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index ee45ed8..78339a2 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -44,14 +44,14 @@
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@mojaloop/central-services-logger": "8.1.1",
-    "async": "2.6.2",
+    "async": "3.1.0",
     "base64url": "3.0.1",
     "clone": "2.1.2",
     "data-urls": "1.1.0",
     "debug": "4.1.1",
     "events": "3.0.0",
-    "node-rdkafka": "2.6.1",
-    "raw-body": "2.4.0"
+    "node-rdkafka": "2.7.1",
+    "raw-body": "2.4.1"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "faucet": "0.0.1",
@@ -59,10 +59,10 @@
     "npm-audit-resolver": "1.5.0",
     "npm-check-updates": "3.1.23",
     "pre-commit": "1.2.2",
-    "sinon": "7.2.4",
+    "sinon": "7.4.2",
     "standard": "14.3.0",
-    "tap-xunit": "2.3.0",
-    "tape": "4.10.1",
+    "tap-xunit": "2.4.1",
+    "tape": "4.11.0",
     "tapes": "4.1.0"
   },
   "publishConfig": {
diff --git a/src/kafka/consumer.js b/src/kafka/consumer.js
index 7c5df46..c2b7872 100644
--- a/src/kafka/consumer.js
+++ b/src/kafka/consumer.js
@@ -406,9 +406,9 @@ class Consumer extends EventEmitter {
       }, 1)
 
       // a callback function, invoked when queue is empty.
-      this._syncQueue.drain = () => {
+      this._syncQueue.drain(() => {
         this._consumer.resume(this._topics) // resume listening new messages from the Kafka consumer group
-      }
+      })
     }
 
     switch (this._config.options.mode) {