Abiodun Adelaja
19 November 2008
Abuja — In a move to address the dwindling revenue generated by agencies saddled with such responsibilities the House of Representatives is to commence full scale investigations into the activities of the Nigeria Customs Service.
Also the federal lawmakers yesterday summoned the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs, Alhaji Hamman Bello, Ahmed to appear before the House committee on Customs over the compelling issues bordering on lack of performance and sundry matters concerning the activities of the agency.
The committee said it will beam its searchlight at the performance of the Service over the years as well as its statutory duties and functions.
In a letter dated Novemeber 11th 2008 inviting the management the committee also requested it to furnish detailed records of remittances of customs revenue into the federation account from 2000 to date; record of remittances of revenue collected by Customs which is paid into non-federation account from 2000 to date.
The committee requested from the records of revenue generation, releases, budget performance, seizures within the period under review, temporary importation, bulk cargo, exemptions/waivers.
Also requested from the Customs were the records of pre-releases/returns on negotiable duty credit certificates, details from marine department/air wing, Nigeria Customs Service properties, and customs licensed agents, comprehensive list of all warehouses and the lists and locations of all private jetties.
The lawmakers also demanded among other things, the nominal roll as at 2000, date of right sizing/downsizing and how many men and officers affected, records of promotions since 2002,bonusus earned and distribution of same from 2000 to date.
Total amount of money given to the service for car/motorcycle loans to officials of the service, total amount recovered so far from men and officers of the service as car/motorcycle loan and record of payment of such loan recovery back into government.
The committee requested for the details of all monies released to the Nigeria Customs Service from 2000 to date, list of abandoned capital projects from 1992 to date to date to include title of projects and locations, contract sum, name of contractors, date abandoned, stage abandoned, awarding authority, payment received before the projects were abandoned and reason for abandonment.
The committee also wants to know the list of all on-going projects including their project/location, contract sum, name of contractor, payment received and the amount outstanding.
All capital projects executed by the service including major procurements from 2000 to date, to include projects/location, contract, sum, name of contractor, awarding authority and date of completion
In the letter signed by the chairman of the committee Hon. Yakubu Dogara to the service he stated "Please note that the importance of the requested documents/information to the success of the proposed public hearing cannot be over emphasized. Should we require more documents/information, we would inform you immediately.
Consequently, your submission is expected to reach the committee on or before the 24th day of Nov, 2008", the letter read.
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