Reps passes N369.1 billion as Customs’ 2022 budget

•Peace corps bill, two others scale through at Senate
The House of Representatives has approved N369.1 billion as the budget of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) for 2022.

The approval was sequel to the consideration of a report of the Committee on Customs and Excise at plenary yesterday.

The lawmakers passed N214.29 billion for capital projects, N108.85 billion as personnel cost and N45.89 billion for overhead cost.

The Committee on Supply had considered and approved the budget, with the Chairman, Committee on Customs, Leke Abejide, briefing the legislators on the report prior to the eventual passage.

Some of the recommendations considered and sanctioned by the lower legislative chamber are seven per cent cost of collection for 2022 translating to N151 billion being projected revenue to the organisation.

Besides, a two per cent Value Added Tax (VAT) share from over N14 billion was equally approved for the service

Also, 60 per cent share of the Comprehensive Import Supervision Scheme (CISS) of N60 billion was approved as intervention fund, with the retained income of N114 billion okayed for the fiscal year.

IN a related development, the Senate, yesterday, again, passed the Nigerian Peace Corps (Establishment) Bill, 2020.

The piece of legislation was first passed in December 2017 and transmitted by the Clerk to the National Assembly, Sani Omolori, to President Muhammadu Buhari, who withheld assent in February 2018.

The fresh passage followed the consideration of a report by the Committee on Interior.

The bill was sponsored by Senator Ali Ndume (Borno South).

Senator Sulieman Sadiq Umar (Kwara North), in a presentation on behalf of the committee chairman, Kashim Shettima, said the panel harmonised the Nigerian Peace Corps Bill and National Unity Corps Bill for “ease of advancing its work.”

He explained that the Nigerian Peace Corps bill seeks to empower, develop and provide gainful employment for youths, facilitate peace, volunteerism, community services, neighbourhood watch and nation-building.

Umar added that the corps would have the responsibility of training the youths to advance the course of peace-building and conflict resolution through education and mediation among warring groups and communities.