By Paul Effiong, Abuja
Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, Adewale Adeniyi has listed the factors militating against revenue generating in Nigeria.
The Customs boss disclosed this yesterday when he appeared before the House of Representatives Committee on Finance.
According to him, the recent suspension of excise policy on carbonated drinks, single used plastic, telecommunication and others vide the 2024 Fiscal Policy Measures has affected the service negatively.
Adeniyi informed that the policy is biting hard on NCS, even as he told the lawmakers that it is affecting their revenue generation.
He noted that the first mandate of the his agency is that of revenue generation which is statutorily paid into the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the federal government.
He also stated that revenue generation is set by the agency on a quarterly basis, adding that its capacity is hinged on many factors
The NCS boss informed the committee that in the 2024 fiscal year, the service had set a target of N5.079 trillion, a monthly target of N423 billion and N1.369 billion for each quarter.
Speaking on seizures, he said NCS had recorded 468 seizures in the first quarter which was worth N1.9 trillion.
He equally noted that most of the seizures carried out by his officers were mostly on carbonated drinks, adding that the ban on the product is affecting the agency’s revenue generation.
He added that NCS revenue generation has been affected by the volume of cargoes coming into the ports.
He said: “The reduction in the volume of cargoes coming into the ports has affected our revenue.
“We are looking at the projection for the second quarter and we believe that by the end of June, we would have been able to generate N3 billion”.
On the non-inclusion of the cost of collection of the revenue in the document submitted to the House Committee, he said it was deliberate.
He, however, said that the Act establishing the agency had empowered it to collect seven percent of the total revenue as cost of collection.
Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, Abdullahi Saidu had earlier commended the revenue drive and generation capacity of the service, stating that they had surpassed the expectation of his committee.
He, however, urged NCS to properly look into the issue of granting waivers to importers of goods and services, insisting that if there must be waivers, it must have huge benefit for the economy.
Reps Probe Fraudulent Land Tittles in FCT
…..mandate relevant c’ttees to ensure compliance
House of Representatives has resolved to investigate all fraudulent allocations in the name of the minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, from January to August 2023 when the office was vacant.
The House equally agreed that some lands that are subject to litigation or multiple allocations should be identified and their allocation withdrawn by the minister pending the resolution of the matter.
These were some of the resolutions adopted by the House, following a motion of urgent national importance moved during plenary by Gaza Gbewfi.
The motion was entitled: “Urgent Need To Investigate the Alleged Fraudulent Allocation of Tittle Documents To Some Real Estate Developers Before the Appointment of The Minister Of FCT.”
Gbewfi, who represents Karu, Keffi and Kokona Federal Constituency of Nasarawa State, as well as the Chairman, House Committee on Solid Minerals, noted that by virtue of Section 297 of the constitution, the ownership of all lands in the FCT is vested in the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
He revealed that that Section 302 of the constitution provides for among others, that the president may in
the exercise of the powers conferred upon him by Section 147 appoint for the FCT, a minister who shall exercise powers and perform such functions as may be delegated to him by the president from time to time.
The lawmaker explained that the House is aware that President Bola Tinubu was sworn in on Monday, May 29, 2023, marking the commencement of his four-year term as.
He equally recalled that the current Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike assumed office on the August 21, 2023.
According to him, between May 29, 2023 and August 21, 2023, several title documents were issued to some real estate developers in a highly suspicious manner:
The House expressed concern whether or not the director of lands or any official of the FCDA who issued R of O’s, purportedly in the name of the minister when the office was vacant, had the legal right or authority to do so.
They stated that some of the lands affected are subject of litigations which are yet to be resolved at various courts.
The House, however, noted that some of the beneficiaries of the alleged fraudulent allocations are already forcibly grabbing disputed land which is a recipe for conflict.
The Green Chamber agreed that if the title document of any land was fraudulently issued or procured, whatever is built on it should not stand in the interest of the public.
