The House of Representatives Committe on Customs and Excise on Monday frowned at the refusal of heads of government agencies to respond to the invitation of the House to appear before an investigative hearing on the operations of the Nigeria Customs Service and the management of the nation’s borders.
The committee, alongside the House Committee on Interior had invited the Minister of Interior, Comptroller General of Customs, Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service and other stakeholders to the investigative hearing on the mordernisation of the Nigeria Customs Service.
The House, at two sittings had ordered the committees to investigate the modernisation project of the Nigerian Customs Service (e-customs) concession to the Trade Mordeniation Project (TMP) and the role of Webb Fontaine in the E-Customs framework as well as the need to employ modern technology to secure Nigeria’s borders and address the challenges posed by illegal migration and border management.
However, while the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji Ojo was said to be out of the country and could not attend the session with the lawmakers, no reason was given for the absence of the Customs boss and his Immigration counterpart.
A member of the Committee, Olumide Osoba (APC, Ogun) frowned at the absence of the Chief Executives saying section 88 of the constitution gives the parliament the power to invite any individual to appear before it to offer explanation, adding that in such instance, only the Chief Executives of the agencies are to appear before the parliament.
As a result of the absence, Osoba said the investigative hearing cannot be held as those representing the Chief Executives in not in a position to provide the answers being sought by the parliament.
Another member of the Committee on Customs, Awaji-Inombek Abiante (PDP, Rivers) said the refusal of the Head of agencies was an afront on the parliament, adding that if they refuse to show on the next adjourned date, the Committee and the parliament should invoke its powers and recommend their removal from office.
According to Abiante, their refusal to honour parliamentary invitation would mean that they are either tired of the job or incompetent to carry out their assigned duties.
In his ruling, Chairman of the House Committee on Customs, Leke Abejide (ADC, Kogi) said while the investigative hearing on the customs mordenisation has to do with improving government revenue, the second one deals with the security of the nation.
Abejide said despite the busy schedule of the lawmakers, they made out time to carry out the national assignment, pointing out that the investigative hearing would have to be shifted to another day, preferably after the passage of the national budget and at a time when the Chief Executives will be available to answer questions from members.
The Committee is expected to investigate the concession of the operations of the customs to Trade Modernisation Project and why Webb Fontaine that has managed the collection process are still the ones operating the system.
They are also expected to find out the due diligent carried out in the selection of Trade Modernisation Project to take over the e-customs processes from Webb Fontaine and what TMP has done with the concession as well as the number of modern scanners they have introduced to make clearing of goods easier and faster.