House to Probe Abuse of Import Duty Waivers, Customs ICT Infrastructure

Investigates alleged N115bn tax liabilities in MDAs, non-remittances by banks

James Emejo officials of the Customs Service in order to recover the revenues due to the Federal Government but was not paid.

The motion on the need to investigate the handling of import duty revenues, waivers and bonds on import duties collected by the Nigeria Customs Service from 2010 to date sponsored by Hon. James Abiodun Faleke and 13 other members also seeks to identify the companies or individuals that have refused to redeem the bonds even after clearing their imports

The committee is expected to report back in 90 days for further legislative action.

The lower chamber also passed a motion urging the Federal Ministry of Finance to look into its Agreement with Webb Fontaine with a view to exploring the option of handing it over to the Nigeria Customs Service as already done by other Service Providers and also set up a Compliance Monitoring Team that will liaise with the Nigeria Customs Service to further utilize its ICT Infrastructure towards conforming to the World Customs Organization standard.

It mandated the Committee on Customs and Excise to investigate the operational activities in the Nigeria Customs Service ICT Infrastructure between 20132017, violation of its ASYCUDA Time-Line Agreement, Rules of Engagement and the delay in handing over to Nigeria Customs Service when other Service Providers did so in December 2013, and report back in six weeks for further legislative action.