By Muhammed Abubakar, Reporting
THE Chairman of the House Ad-hoc Committee investigating the pre-shipment inspection of exports and the non-remittance of crude oil proceeds, Hon. Seyi Sowunmi, has directed the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines, and Agriculture (NACCIMA) to submit all requested documents related to the probe.
The federal lawmaker issued the directive during the committee’s resumed investigative hearing on Wednesday.
The order followed submissions by representatives of the agencies, which the committee deemed insufficient. Consequently, the agencies will be informed of new dates to appear.
Earlier, the agencies had briefed the panel on their respective roles concerning the pre-shipment inspection of oil and non-oil commodities at export terminals.
In her submission, DCG Caroline Diagwan, representing the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Bashir Adeniyi, outlined the Service’s functions in line with its establishment Act and other extant laws.
“Our role as regards export of food is we get what we call NXP, and then certificate of inspection, as well as export permit. We now make sure that those documents tally with what has been exported at the point of export. So we do examination as well as physicalisation of food,” she explained.
“That is the role we play. We make sure that what is being exported tallies with the documents sent to us by the CBN, that’s the NXP, and then the export permit from NUPRC. We are there at the point of inspection. After inspection, that’s when they do the exportation. Customs are there with other government agencies.”
She clarified that the Service does not collect export duties and is therefore unaware of the revenues accruing to the government in that regard.
“The export takes place at export terminals under oil and gas command in Port Harcourt, as well as other commands in Edo and Delta. So these controllers of these commands, they send monthly returns to the headquarters on all the activities, which include all exports as well as imports,” Diagwan added.
On his part, a Director at the CBN, Dr Musa Nakurji, representing Governor Yemi Cardoso, stated that the Bank serves as the rallying point for the activities of other agencies through platforms that process data and information.
“Regarding the issue of pre-shipment inspection, by the Act of 1992, Central Bank is actually saddled with the responsibility of the administrative side of it. So let me first of all start by making a bit of a correction. If you look at the pre-inspection act, Central Bank does not appoint the pre-inspection agent,” he said.
“Then the second thing again, in terms of the form NXP, we don’t send anything manually to Customs. The process is automated. And Customs latch on to that to get their report.”
He explained that the Bank operates a trade monetary system through which commercial banks open the NXP form for exporters. A clean certificate of inspection is then issued by pre-inspection agents after verifying quantity, quality, and value.
The General Manager of Tariff at the Nigerian Ports Authority, Ibrahim Lukman, who represented the MD/CEO, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, also briefed the committee on the Authority’s role. He informed members that the NPA appoints agents stationed at export terminals to relay information, and works collaboratively with other government agencies as provided by law.
In his submission, a Director at NACCIMA, Dr Emmanuel Akeh, stated that the organisation serves as the umbrella body for Chambers of Commerce in the country. He clarified that it plays no role in crude oil exports, but issues certificates of origin for non-oil exports to authenticate their originality.
In his remarks, the Committee Chairman, Hon. Seyi Sowunmi, stressed the importance of the investigation to the nation, noting that it would help address revenue leakages.
“Because part of the problems Mr. President is trying to cure is that we should account for every kobo that accrues to the nation. And that is what this committee seeks to achieve,” he said.
The committee ruled that the agencies would be informed of new dates to appear and submit the required comprehensive documents.
“Please, we’re going to get back to you, we’re going to write to you, and then, any necessities that we need, submit on time,” Sowunmi added.
It further directed that any individual representing the head of an agency must present a letter of authority confirming their nomination to speak on their behalf.
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