Reps upset because customs didn’t show up for panel

Enraged that the Nigeria Customs Service had neglected to appear before it on Tuesday, the House of Representatives Ad hoc Committee looking into the sales and disposition of government assets was fuming.

Professor Julius Ihonvbere, the chairman of the ad hoc committee, criticized the NCS for not showing up for the committee’s rescheduled hearing after it had been called upon twice.

Last week, the panel threatened to use pertinent constitutional provisions to force Ministries, Departments, and Agencies to appear before it if necessary. The panel is tasked with investigating how public property was disposed of between 2010 and 2022, as well as investigating claims of illicit auctioning of public property and non-remittance of revenue realized into the Consolidated Revenue of the Federation.

In addition to denouncing the head of MDAs’ “arrogance of power,” House Leader Ihonvbere requested that customs appear before the panel, stating that the parliament will do everything within its power to ensure that the agency honors its summons.

In his words, “We have written. We’ve made the summons available in the newspapers. The summons included an appearance deadline. Then they send me some innocent-looking letters, signed by a Deputy Comptroller General for Finance, Administration, and Technical Services, who doesn’t even feel large enough to visit us in person. This system needs to eradicate such indiscipline and power hubris. It cannot go on.

Additionally, the constitution gives us the authority to ensure that government organizations receiving funding from the National Assembly act morally. Furthermore, people have to act morally, whether or not the customs approve of it.

The customs department seems to be operating under the assumption that the ad hoc committee will always exist. You import a car just like that. Before it enters demurrage, you have this window of time to clear it. And after a while, they’ll do what needs to be done, including bidding on whatever kind of automobile you have.

In my opinion, the Nigerian customer is being careless by accepting this House’s invitation. They perceive this as a farce. To reassure them, I am prepared to follow the law to the letter, adhering to Nigerian customs. He said, “They have to come before the House.