NEMA: Customs confirms clearing 3,779 metric tonnes of donated rice

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has confirmed clearing 3,779 metric tonnes of rice out of the 6,779 donated by the Chinese Government to Nigeria for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

At the continuation of the investigative hearing of the House of Representatives Committee on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness yesterday in Abuja, an Assistant Comptroller General of Customs, (ACG) Ezekezie Kaycee, said there is a balance of 3,000 metric tonnes to be cleared.

The Director General of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Mustapha Maihaja told the panel that the 135,500 bags of rice donated by the China were still intact.

He said government paid clearance of N400 million as demurrage for the rice, which is worth N2.4 billion.

Maihaja said no rice meant for IDPs was either missing or diverted at the ports.

He said the bags of rice were being warehoused in Maiduguri and Yola pending the completion of the clearance of the remaining commodity at the Lagos port.

The ACG, who represented the Comptroller General, Hameed Ali, said: “From our records, three bills of laden have been cleared but this does not mean they have left the port. The NCS is only through with three bills.”

Responding to questions from members of the panel headed by the Deputy Chairman, Ali Isa JC (PDP, Gombe) Maihaja said “As soon as we secured the necessary documents, we liaise with all relevant agencies concerned with clearing but we had to invoke Section 43 (1b) of the Emergency Act, because the good has stayed for six months in the port.

“Secondly, it was a tough decision to take considering the situation we found ourselves in. We have to consider the condition of the people of the Northeast region, who are in danger of hunger and famine. We also considered the condition of the rice too.

“We are still in the process of procuring the rest of the material, but we have taken possession of 110 containers and they are in two locations in Maiduguri and Yola,” he said.

Meanwhile, the panel insisted that Finance Minister, Kemi Adeosun and her Budget and National Planning counterpart, Udo Udoma must appear before it in person. Similarly, the panel invited the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh and the Customs CG, Ali to explain their roles in the matter.