Senate summons Customs boss over rice importation
FOR allegedly remitting into Federal Government treasury accounts in local currency, revenues collected on behalf of the government in dollars, some key revenue-generating agencies have once again come under the searchlight as the National Economic Council, (NEC) yesterday resolved to begin their probe.

Besides, the council also confirmed that the Excess Crude Account(ECA) had a total of $2.25billion in its coffers as at yesterday, just as the federal government raised the hopes of states governments being owed money from the execution of federal roads as well as those being affected by flooding.
In another development, Senate yesterday resolved to summon the Comptroller General of Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ali, over lifting of ban on rice importation.

The resolution followed a motion sponsored by Senator Mohammed Adamu Aliero, All Progressives Congress, Kebbi Central and supported by 28 others, stating the dangers posed by the removal of rice from import restriction list and the re-introduction of import duty payment at land borders.

Briefing State House correspondents after the NEC meeting, Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade said the decision to probe the revenue-generating agencies, followed the briefing by the Central Bank of Nigeria, (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele on the activities of the agencies.

Key agencies named, include the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, (NNPC), the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety (NIMASA), Nigerian Ports Authority, (NPA) amongst others, saying the investigations would continue until the circumstances behind the action were unraveled. But he did not give details of the financial implication.

Flanked by his colleagues from Ondo, Segun Mimiko; Taraba, Darius Ishaku and Sokoto’s , Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Ayade said: “The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Finance briefed the Council on the excess crude account, which stands at $2.25b as at October 15th. The Council took note of this figure.”

He also said that the CBN boss briefed the Council on the provision of concessionary loans to states based on collaterisation of the excess crude account, noting that 27 states have made requests for the N10 billion facility, and is currently being processed.

Based on a resolution passed at the end of the debate, the Senators urged Ali to appear before it’s Ad- hoc committee on Import Duty Waivers to explain reasons behind his action.

The lawmakers noted that the customs boss acted beyond his mandate in that regard, insisting that the order restricting rice importation through land borders was a Presidential Directive.

Aliero noted that lifting the ban placed on rice import through land borders by the Customs boss would be counterproductive to the gains already made from the ban within the last four years.

“Since 2009, government has been making effort to see that Nigeria becomes self sufficient in rice production.

“But up till now, we are far away from the target” adding that there was no rationale behind asking importers to clear rice through land borders.

“Recently, the Comptroller General said importers should bring rice and clear at the borders contrars.

Adding: “I brought this motion to protect our farmers. Every nation does it but here in Nigeria, we allow foreign importation at the detriment of our country. We are exporting labour and importing poverty”, Aliero said.