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Tag: Senate

  • Senate to fast track creation of autonomous NFIU

    Senate to fast track creation of autonomous NFIU

    A Bill which aims to separate the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) scaled first reading in the Senate Thursday.

    This is coming less than twenty four hours after the upper chamber raised the alarm over the suspension of Nigeria by the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Unit.

    The Bill, sponsored by the Chairman, Senate Committee on Anti-Corruption, Senator Chukwuka Utazi (Enugu North) seeks to create autonomous NFIU for the country which will not be domiciled in the EFCC.

    The move to create an independent NFIU is line with the demand of the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Unit which had given the country December 2017 deadline to comply or risk expulsion from the group.

    The Senate had on Wednesday debated the suspension of Nigeria from the Egmont Group for failing to grant autonomy to the NFIU.

    The upper chamber declared its intention to give accelerated hearing to the Bill to ensure that the NFIU becomes independent before the December 2017 deadline given by Egmont Group.

    Shortly after the Bill scaled first reading, Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, directed the Business and Rules Committee to ensure that the Bill was scheduled for Second Reading on Tuesday next week.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi told reporters that the Senate does not want anybody to doubt the supportive role of the upper chamber to the fight against corruption in the country.

    The Senate Abdullahi said, has its own input to make to ensure the success of the anti-graft war.

    He noted that for any anti-graft agency to succeed in its task, it must share intelligence report with sister agencies in the world.

    He said, “Our worry is that Nigeria was suspended from the Egmont Group basically because NFIU has not been granted autonomy and still domiciled in EFCC. The essence of it is that in sharing intelligence, there are protocols that must be respected. The Senate is committed to ensuring that the right thing is always done. We must be proactive. If you strengthen the NFIU you are strengthening other intelligence units in the country.”

     

  • Senate begins move to separate NFIU from EFCC

    Senate begins move to separate NFIU from EFCC

    •How false petition led to Nigeria’s suspension

    Senators yesterday began moves to make the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) independent of the Economic and Financial Crimes Comission (EFCC).

    The Senate Committee on EFCC is to articulate a bill within four weeks for the immediate autonomy of NFIU, which is domiciled in the EFCC.

    The decision was taken after a debate on Nigeria’s suspension from the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units.

    The Senate blamed Attorney General and Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami, Interior Minister Abdulrahman Danbazzau and EFCC Acting Chair Ibrahim Magu for Nigeria’s suspension.

    The Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units provides the backbone for monitoring international money laundering activities across the world.

    The Senate also said it was ready to do everything necessary to reverse Nigeria’s suspension moreso when “the group warned that if Nigeria fails to comply with the group’s demands for a legal framework granting autonomy to the NFIU by January 2018, the country will be expelled from the global body”.

    The Chairman, Senate Committee on Financial Crimes, Senator Chukwuka Utazi (Enugu North), moved a motion on “dire implications of the suspension of Nigeria from the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units”.

    The Senate said it was concerned that in view of the “non-cooperating stance of the executive branch”, the legislative branch would have to urgently leverage its institutional mechanism to ensure that Nigeria’s suspension from the EGMONT Group was reversed.

    The upper chamber noted that it was all the more urgent, considering the December deadline given to the country to comply to avoid expulsion. Besides, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) High Level Mission to Nigeria plans a visit to the country in November 2017 to appraise Nigeria’s preparedness to be granted the status of observer and later membership of the FATF, especially with regard to the needed co-ordination by the three line ministries of Justice, Finance and Interior.

    It noted that the granting of the requisite autonomy to the NFIU has been “aggressively and progressively resisted by the EFCC.”

    The Senate added that its Committee on EFCC, in order to provide the needed autonomy for the NFIU to meet its primary mandate, technically and logistically, considered the NFIU’s budget separately from EFCC’s in the 2017 budget “but for the non-provision of budget sub-heads by the Budget Office and the reluctance of the EFCC to do the administrative necessity required”.

    Adopting the report, the Senate said it was informed that if expelled, “the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) Implementation Reviewing Group will be served a notice against Nigeria, and most countries, including the United States, the UK, Germany, Switzerland, etc., would alert their financial institutions and services through the issuance of advisories such as the Financial Criminal Enforcement Network Advisory and Foreign Assets and Cash Directive, to warn them to apply extra care and diligence in transacting with Nigeria and Nigerians.”

    The Senate resolved to:

    *pass a law creating a substantive and autonomous Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit, NFIU, and make the Unit legally and operationally autonomous with powers for the employment, reward, training, promotion and discipline of its workforce independently;

    *empower the NFIU to, in line with international best practices, exchange and relate with all countries on issues affecting its mandate at the bilateral and multi-lateral levels;

    *urge the three Line ministries of Justice, Finance and Interior to do all within their powers to ensure that Nigeria’s suspension is immediately reversed and ensure that all conditions specified by the EGMONT Group are met to re-admit and improve Nigeria’s standing within the Group while increasing their levels of cooperation and co-ordination to ensure that Nigeria achieves membership of FATE; and

    “urge the Executive branch to include in any supplementary budget estimate that may be presented to the National Assembly before the end of the year a separate budget for the NFIU in view of the need to lift the suspension of Nigeria as soon as possible.

    The Senate also noted  ”the meddlesomeness of the Acting Chairman of the EFCC in the affairs of the NFIU by his interference in the operations and staffing of the Unit leading to the departure of many competent hands; and divulging confidential information concerning the activities of the EGMONT group.”

    Senate President Bukola Saraki said the Senate would work swiftly to ensure that the suspension was lifted.

    Saraki said: “Clearly, this suspension is a setback in our fight against corruption and, as such, we must move swiftly because we cannot afford to be cut off from the EGMONT Group. We must move swiftly and ensure that this suspension is lifted. And one of the things that we need to do is to ensure that we pass this bill as soon as possible to give independence to NFIU and any of the other activities that must have led to this must be stopped. And the Committee on Anti-Corruption should carry out their oversight to ensure that the sooner we get the suspension lifted, the better for our image and the fight against corruption.”

  • Senate okays private-public partnership for refineries’ repairs

    •Oando gets nod for Port Harcourt plant’s job

    The Senate has finally endorsed the private-public partnership (PPP) for the repair of the country’s four refineries.

    The lawmakers kicked against the government initiative, given that the contract given to Eni/Agip and Oando to repair Port Harcourt Refinery did not follow due process.

    The Upper Legislature had suspended a contract awarded to Eni/Agip and Oando Plc to rehabilitate the Port Harcourt Refinery, claiming that it did not follow due process; the Senate constituted an ad hoc committee to probe the deal.

    At the hearing with stakeholders, panel endorsed the arrangement. The Joint Upstream and Downstream Senate Committee probe followed reports that the refinery was to be privatised or concessioned by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) with Oando and Eni as the preferred consortium.

    Its Chairman, Senator Abubakar Kyari, said: “We’ve heard extensive summations from all parties involved regarding this concession process. Inevitably, partnerships between the public and private sectors are necessary to provide the required funding to rehabilitate our nation’s refineries. We are committed to due process, and in seeking to achieve these goals, sound principles of corporate governance and extant laws must be adhered to, for the greater good of the Nigerian people. Indeed we will come up with recommendations aimed at improving transparency in the oil sub-sector of the economy and at the same time encourage investors.”

    At the event were the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, Wale Tinubu, Group Chief Executive Officer of Oando PLC, Massimo Insula, Managing Director Nigerian Agip Oil Company, and Aniebor Kraghas, Chief Operating Officer, NNPC.

    Tinubu denied  that already it had a deal on the matter.

    He said: “We’ve issued several rejoinder statements as well as clarifications by the NNPC, ENI, explicitly stating that there is no existing mandate for the concession, sale, equity transfer or privatisation of the Port Harcourt refinery or any of the nation’s refineries. As a crude exporter and supplier of refined products to the country, our expression of interest in the refurbishment and upgrade of the refineries is as a funding partner. Our proposed participation in this effort is an opportunity to drive the country forward and ensure product security is realised. We are wholly committed to the government’s vision to become a petroleum product self-sufficient country in the short to medium term, and ultimately be a net exporter. The Port Harcourt Refinery remains a national asset, under the full control of the NNPC as far as we are aware, and there is absolutely no concession deal in place.”

    Last year, President Muhammadu Buhari directed the Petroleum Resources Ministry to  engage investors with refining experience and funding capacity to partner local players that understand the downstream oil market to revamp the refineries.

    To strengthen international relations, the Italian Government through ENI (an Italian oil and gas company in which it owns 30.3 per cent shareholding), supported the rehabilitation of the country’s refineries, specifically the Port Harcourt refinery, in which it has a long history of technical involvement.

    Earlier this year, Dr. Kachikwu met with ENI CEO, Claudio Descalzi, to discuss further cooperation between the Italian firm and the government.

    The NNPC and ENI, through its local subsidiaries, Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and Nigerian Agip Exploration (NAE), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to promote activities that would  boost economic development.

    Kachikwu said: “There is absolutely no concession framework for the Port Harcourt Refinery or any of the refineries.

    ‘’Our mandate has always been to grow our production levels year on year, cost-savings for the country, and increased dollar revenue. To propel this initiative, we realised we needed scale-up in the technical know-how in our 100 per cent indigenously-operated refineries, as well as private sector participation to crystallise the rehabilitation programme.”

  • Senate’s unending cold war with presidency

    SIR: At the inception of eight Senate in June 2015, it was clear to all discerning minds that the executive and the legislative arms many not have a smooth relationship. This fear was predicated on the event that culminated in the emergence of the leadership of the upper legislative house.

    Some optimists were however quick to dismiss this, as they believed the matter will be resolved as a family affair – a phrase which gained so much currency during the PDP-16 years rule. Two years on, the squabble still lingers.

    Clear signs that suggested that all was still not well began to emerge on November 1, 2016 when the Senate rejected the president’s $30 billion dollars loan request and their refusal to confirm Ibrahim Magu for the second time as the substantive EFCC boss on March 15.

    Don’t also forget the Code of Conduct trial of the Senate President, the forgery cases and all that.

    This protracted Executive-Legislative feud took centre stage again when the issue of confirmation of the Director General of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Lanre Gbajabiamila was recently discussed on the floor of the Senate.  It was another occasion to express their misgivings with the executive on the continued retention of Magu. They were also equally piqued with the acting President over a comment credited to him that executive appointment does not require legislative approval. With this, the battle line was again drawn as all nominations for confirmations were purportedly suspended until their powers are respected.

    The acting President himself, an astute, erudite law professor and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria anchored his position on sub-section 2, section 171 of the 1999 constitution as amended which empowers the President to appoint and remove his appointees without any recourse to the Senate. Some law experts have however faulted the acting President’s stance, arguing that the quoted section has a specific application and only affects appointments into offices such as – Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Head of Service, Ambassadors and High Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Extra Ministerial Departments (EMDs) and personal staff to the President. They are of the view that the chairman of EFCC is not included in this category of appointees.

    The crux of this argument is whether Economic and Financial Crime Commission can be described as an extra-ministerial department. To help us here, it is pertinent to note that EMDs are appendages of ministries and are created for administrative purposes while commissions like EFCC are statutory (that is created by law). Ministers are in-charge of EMDs while Commissions, Agencies and Corporations created by law are fully or somewhat independent. Experts argue that, the Minister of Justice that supervises EFCC only exercises prosecutorial powers and does not have direct procedural and operational control over it.

    In view of the disagreement, which this section of the constitution has generated recently, a further judicial interpretation from the apex court is the way to go.

    The resurfacing of this Senate-Presidency altercation at the time the nation is experiencing a depressed economy, agitations, Boko-Haram/ herdsmen terrorism, the ill-health of our President is to say the list, not auspicious.

    Our distinguished denizens of the Three Arms Zone should realize that Nigerians look up to them to make laws for their socioeconomic well-beings and not to further create tensions in the country. Therefore, the on-going war of attrition must stop. This egregious display of callousness among our leaders should not be our style of governance.

     

    • Itaobong Offiong Etim

    Calabar.

  • Senate makes U-turn on nominees’ confirmation

    Senate makes U-turn on nominees’ confirmation

    …Screens 12 INEC nominees

    Two weeks after the Senate resolved to suspend consideration of the Presidency requests for confirmation of nominees, the upper chamber on Wednesday received the report of its Committee on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the screening of 12 Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).

    The Senate, on July 4 resolved to suspend all confirmation requests from the Presidency until Acting President Yemi Osinbajo withdraws a statement credited to him that the Senate does not need to confirm nominees from the executive arm of government.

    The Senate also asked the Presidency to sack the Acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Ibrahim Magu, in line with its resolution.

    The Senate took the resolution to suspend confirmation of presidential nominees when Senate President, Bukola Saraki, read Osinbajo‘s letter, urging the upper chamber to confirm the nomination of Lanre Gbajabiamila as Director-General of the National Lottery Commission (NLC).

    Senator Ahmed Sani Yerima (Zamfara West) noted that since the acting President had already concluded that the Senate lacks the powers to confirm nominees, there was no need to acknowledge any letter from the executive on confirmation of nominees.

    However, the Senate after over one hour closed session reversed itself by receiving the report of the RECs screening.

    The resolution suspending confirmation requests reportedly featured prominently at the closed session.

    The 12 RECs whose screening reports were received were – Mrs. Asmanu Sani Maikudi (Katsina), Sam Olugbadebo Olumekun (Ondo), Mahmud Isah ( Kebbi), Rufus Oloruntoyin Akeju (Lagos) and Riskuwa Shehu (Sokoto).

    Others are – Kassim Gana Geidam (Yobe), Jibrin Ibrahim Zarewa (Kano), Abdulganiyu Olayinka Raji (Oyo), Samuel Egwu (Kogi), Mike Igini (Delta), Mustapha Zubairu( Niger) and Ahmad Bello Mahmud (Zamfara).

    No date was fixed for their confirmation.

     

     

  • Does Senate have role in recall?

    Does Senate have role in recall?

    The Senate’s insistence that it has a role in the recall of a senator has drawn the ire of many Nigerians. Lawyers, former legislators and other stakeholders have faulted the claim and maintained that the 1999 Constitution only empowers the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to initiate the process, following constituents’ request. Assistant Editor LEKE SALAUDEEN reports.

    The Senate has drawn a battle line with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for embarking on the recall of Senator Dino Melaye from Kogi West District. The Senate claims it has a major role to play in the recall of the senator and, in fact, a final say in the exercise.

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu has faulted the INEC moves; he wondered why the electoral commission is not following the laid down procedure in carrying out the exercise. Ekweremadu said INEC is just wasting its time because it is an exercise in futility, adding that when they are done, they will present a satisfactory evidence to the Senate before the report could be implemented. According to him, when INEC is done, it has to come back to the Senate with satisfactory evidence to convince members before the report could be accepted.

    But INEC said it embarked on the process in accordance with Section 68 and 69 of the 1999 Constitution and Section 116 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended). It said only a legitimate court order or an injunction can nullify the process.

    Section 69 states that: “a member of the Senate or of the House of Representatives may be recalled as such a member if- (a) there is presented to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission a petition in that behalf signed by more than one-half of the persons registered to vote in that member’s constituency alleging their loss of confidence in that member. The petition is thereafter, in a referendum conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission within ninety days of the date of receipt of the petition, approved by a simple majority of the votes of the persons registered.

    Affirming the authentication of the process, a leader of pro-recall constituents, Mr Cornelius Olowo, said it was initiated by the people of Kogi West protesting poor representation. Olowo said the electorate have complied with the constitutional requirement for the recall of Melaye. He said a petition which had signatures of more than 52 per cent of the electorate in the senatorial district was submitted at the office of INEC Chairman.

    Olowo said the electorate were prompted to seek Melaye’s recall because of his abysmal performance since he was elected to represent the district in 2015; he has distanced himself from the constituents; he has no constituency office in Kogi West as a way of reaching him on matter of interests from the people that elected him and that he has not organised one town hall meeting anywhere in Kogi West to meet with the people to present his score card or stewardship.

    According to him, “we have over 360, 000 registered voters in Kogi West and within a week of collection of signatures, we were able to gather over 188,500 signatures endorsing the recall. It is now left for INEC to go and do confirmation of the signatures before going on the process needed for the recall.”

    A senior INEC official who do not want his name on print has debunked the allegation by Ekweremadu that the electoral commission has failed to comply with the laid down procedures. He said Section 69 of the Constitution stated that there must be a petition from the people seeking recall of their representative at the National Assembly and that such petition should be backed with the signatures of half of the registered voters in the constituency. “These conditions have been met by the people of Kogi West. It is now left to INEC to verify the names and the signatures. In doing this we shall be guided by the provisions of the constitution. We don’t act on sentiments, we deal with facts. The politicians should allow INEC to do its work.

    On whether INEC would involve the Senate in the process, the INEC official said it is not possible because the constitution is very clear on who should handle the exercise which is INEC. The area where the Senate or House of Representatives can come in is when the INEC Chairman is to submit the report to the Senate President or the Speaker, House of Representatives as the case may be.

    According to Section 68 (h) of the constitution, “the President of the Senate, or as the case may be, the Speaker of the House of Representatives receives a certificate under the hand of the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission stating that the provisions of Section 69 of this Constitution have been complied with in respect of the recall of that member”.

    However lawyers have faulted the claim of the Senate that INEC lacks the power to recall a legislator. They held that the power to recall any law maker from the Senate or House of Representatives rest squarely on the electoral body and the constituents.

    Lagos lawyer and human rights activist Mr Femi Falana (SAN) said the procedure for the recall of a legislator has been spelt out in the Constitution and the Electoral Act. According to him, INEC has a role to play and it has put the engine on motion.

    Falana said Melaye is aware of the constitutional provisions, hence, he headed for the court to stop the process. Section 69 and the Amended Electoral Act of 2010 is very explicit on this matter;  it was stated there that the power to recall a legislator lies between the electorate and INEC. He advised the Senate to stop indulging in legislative rascality and arrogating powers and roles that do not belong to it.

    A lawyer, Dr Ajibola Basiru said the Senate have no role to play in the recall process. He noted that Section 69 of the Constitution clearly addressed the issue of recall of members of the National Assembly.

    He said: “the National Assembly had turned itself into an autocratic institution, using legislative powers to dabble into issues that are clearly outside its purview. That is why we are finding it difficult to move forward in this country today because the legislature is encroaching on the powers of executive and holding the government into ransom.

    “It is dangerous to democracy and rule of law when National Assembly started arrogating powers and roles that were not assigned to it by the Constitution. The concept of separation of power spells out the powers and responsibility of the three arms of government. The legislature cannot turn itself into overall boss by acting against the constitution and the rule of law.

    Basiru, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Osun State explained that the legislative process of any legislative house is not required before a member is recalled. He advised the National Assembly, especially the Senate, to guide against legislative rascality and impunity, which will not deepen democratic process and the rule of law; It will instead create chaos and confusion in the polity, he said.

    Lagos based lawyer and civil rights activist, Mr Monday Ubani was excited by INEC moves to apply the constitutional provisions, based on the petition of the people of Kogi West. “This is the first time we are putting to test the power of the electorate to recall their representatives from the National Assembly,” he said.

    Apparently reacting to Ikweremadu’s comment that the exercise will fail, Ubani asked Nigerians to be patient and follow the process to decide whether the INEC is wasting its time or not. “Let us wait and see if the Senate will at the end of the exercise refuse to accept INEC’s report on Melaye’s recall; whether Nigeria will allow it to happen.

    “The truth of the matter is that the Senate has no role to play in the recall process. The only role it has in is when the INEC Chairman presents the Senate President with the certificate of recall. It is that certificate or letter notifying him that the Senate President will bring to the attention of the members at the plenary session that the member in question has been recalled,” he explained.

    Ubani said that Section 68 (1a-h) does not require the consent of the presiding officers of the National Assembly for the recall, but only seeks to inform them of the outcome, contrary to the claim of the Senate that it would also verify the legitimacy of the votes before a conclusion is made.

    “The National Assembly rating is very low among the Nigerian public; it doesn’t enjoy goodwill from the people. Ninety per cent of those who reacted on social media on this issue are angry with the senators. It is not good for an institution representing the people”. It is high time the Senate embark on self-appraisal  and do away with acts that have lowered its image in public domain”, the lawyer stated.

    Former Senate Deputy Minority Leader Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora aligned himself with the lawyers’ position. He said: “By my understanding of the law though I’m a medical doctor, there is no provision in the constitution or the electoral law that says members of the National Assembly have a role to play in the recall process of members.”

    Mamora said the only role based on Section 68 is for the presiding officer either in the Senate or the House of Representatives to receive INEC report and announce the recall of the affected members at the plenary session. “The report of the recall process will be presented to the affected House and the presiding officer will bring the report to the notice of his colleagues. No more, no less.”

    To Professor Ayo Olukotun the recall process will serve as a check on the behaviours of the sitting law makers. He said if it is established that Senators and Members of the House of Representatives can be recalled, it will strengthen our democracy and drive it in the direction of peoples’ power.

    Olukotun, a lecturer at the Department of Political Science at the Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, suggested that the process of doing it must be transparent and devoid of manipulation. If the process succeeds, it will have ripple effects, it will strengthen the power of electorate and where it fails the law makers will know that the sovereign power belongs to the people,” he added.

    A Kaduna based lawyer, Malam Ibrahim Suleiman, could not understand why Ekweremadu is misleading his colleagues in the interpretation of Section 69 of the Constitution. To him, the senate has no role whatsoever in the recall exercise than to receive the Certificate under the hand of the Chairman of INEC stating that the provisions of Section 69 of the Constitution have been complied with.

    Suleiman said the Senate leadership is making issues out of what is clearly stated in the constitution. “I am sure they are doing this to pre-empt the process by refusing to accept the INEC report. It will be unfortunate if Senate should allow nepotism to override the national interest and plunge the country into another logjam,” he added.

  • Late passage of budget destroys economy – Obaseki

    Late passage of budget destroys economy – Obaseki

    Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, on Tuesday condemned the late passage of the budget by the Senate, saying it destroys the economy.

    Obaseki said it was unfair for a state like Edo to pass its budget in December only to wait for another six months for its implementation due to delay in the passage of the national budget.

    The governor spoke in Benin City when he hosted the Clifford Ordia- led Senate Committee on Works.

    He said the senators should not expect contractors executing projects to do much because the budget was passed during the rainy season.

    He urged the Senate to create a special fund for construction and maintenance of some key federal roads since the water ways and railways were yet to be fully developed.

    The governor said: “You need to earmark certain fund, dedicated resources for some key federal roads and keep the roads open. Our rails and water ways are not developed and such good road maintenance will affect our economic growth positively.

    On the failed section of the Benin-Lokoja highway at Ekpoma,  Obaseki said he once told the Federal Comptroller of Works not to return to Benin if the contractors were not mobilized to site.

    Senator Ordia told the governor they were in the state to carry out physical assessments of the Lokoja-Benin highway dualization.

     

     

  • Senate: 282 vessels missing from NPA’s custody

    Senate: 282 vessels missing from NPA’s custody

    • ‘N7tr goods smuggled in Nigeria yearly’

    The Senate yesterday raised the alarm over the disappearance of over 282 vessels from the custody of the Nigerian Port Authority (NPA) within the last six years.

    Chairman, Senate Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff, Senator Hope Uzodinma, raised the alarm at an investigative public hearing on smuggling in the country.

    He said the 282 vessels were missing from various terminals of the NPA.

    He noted that documents in the possession of the Senate showed that the vessels disappeared between 2010 and 2016 without traces.

    He said: “We want the NPA to come and explain what happened to the 282 vessels that disappeared from the terminals. We have names of the releasing officers.”

    Uzodinma who described NPA as critical in the investigation, lamented that the agency failed to send any representative to the public hearing.

    He  said reports had detailed the colossal harm done to the country’s economy by the activities of smugglers.

    He said: “Those that may imagine that this is an exaggeration should do well to refer to a recent report of the World Bank on smuggling in Nigeria.

    “The report was unequivocal in stating that an astonishing $5billion  or N1.45 trillion worth of different goods are smuggled into Nigeria annually through Benin Republic alone.

    “Yet this is only 15 per cent of the total volume of smuggled goods through the Seme border.

    “The figure of goods smuggled through the sea ports is even more mind boggling.

    “The report has it that over $15billion or N4.35 trillion worth of goods are smuggled into the country each year through the sea ports. The story is the same for our international airports.

    “Put together, it means that goods worth over N7trilion are smuggled into the country each year.”

    He said it was more frightening to note that the annual turnover in the hands of smugglers was more than the country’s annual budget.

    He said the World Bank report further showed that over 25 per cent of the total annual revenue collected by Customs was lost to smugglers each year.

    “If you go by the projected revenue of the Service for this year, which is approximately N600 billion, it means the service will lose about N200 billion in revenue this year alone.’’

    Illegal importation of goods into the country, he said, had equally affected local industries, leading to loss of jobs and closure of industries.

    He lamented that smuggling is fast proving to be the biggest industry in Nigeria and must be fought to a standstill.

    Uzodinma lamented that there were other areas of leakages, arising from miss-invoicing by international traders, abuse of free trade zone policies and temporary import permit.

    He urged the stakeholders make useful submissions that would aid the committee in its investigation.

    He said: “I expect that those of you who have expert knowledge or privileged information on why this cankerworm has continued to pervade our economy should equally come forward with them.

    “No serious legislative arm of government will sit supine while smugglers ravage the economy and deny the government huge sums of legitimate revenue.

    “This Senate is determined to put an end to this smuggling malady and this investigation is designed to facilitate that,’’ he said.

  • Senate, Customs settle rift

    Senate, Customs settle rift

    •Saraki urges Ali to tackle smuggling 

    The lingering crisis of confidence between the Senate and the leadership of Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) may have been laid to rest.

    Senate President Abubakar Bukola Saraki yesterday gave the Comptroller General of NCS. Col. Hameed Ali, the leeway to wear  “jeans and T-Shirt” to office if that would enable him to tackle and end massive smuggling of goods.

    The Senate had insisted on Ali wearing Customs’ uniform before he could be accepted in any of its committees.

    Saraki, who spoke at an investigative hearing on smuggling, vowed that the Senate would stamp out all forms of smuggling from Nigeria.

    Speaking on the role of the NCS in the battle against smugglers, Saraki said: “For the Comptroller General of Customs, let me say on a lighter note that once you end smuggling, even if you want to wear jeans and T-Shirt, I will move the motion that you should wear jeans and T-Shirt. But on a serious note, this issue is very important. Let us all work towards ending this menace once and for all.”

    Saraki, who said the NCS must do whatever it takes to stop smuggling, insisted that smugglers must be checked at all cost.

    He described smugglers as the largest economic saboteurs ruining the country’s economy.

    Saraki noted that his and the Senate leader’s presence underscored the importance that the Senate places on smuggling.

    He said: “It is my view that the singular greatest threat to our economy is this issue of smuggling. The singular greatest threat to the success of our government is this issue of smuggling. The singular greatest threat to the deliverance of the promises made by President Muhammadu Buhari on the diversification of the economy is this issue of smuggling.

    “The level of smuggling that we are seeing cannot continue because they will definitely rubbish all the policies of government, if allowed to go on. I am saying that with all sincerity and all level of responsibility and I tell you why.

    “Today, the greatest threat to small holder farmers is smuggling. Today farmers who have gone to take loans either from the Central Bank (CBN) or from commercial banks are being threatened by rice coming in from across the borders at subsidised rate. The meaning of that is that the imported rice will always be cheaper than those produced by our local farmers.

    “A time will come, if we do not do anything that these farmers will not be able to pay their loans to the banks and these will result in serious crisis. The banks that have given loans to these farmers will also have crisis in their hands. And for the Central Bank that has intervened with billions of Naira, again will not be able to recoup its money. The processors, who have invested in rice mills at the beginning of this administration, will also be threatened if we do not address the issue of rice smuggling.

    “As a country, we have invested over $7billion over the last 10 years in stimulating local production.

    He said individuals behind smuggling of goods into the country must be exposed.

    The Senate president said officers who are aiding and abating smuggling must be sanctioned and those preventing smuggling must also be rewarded.

    On the connection of the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS), Saraki noted that although Nigeria is part of the regional body, “no serious country will allow anything that will ruin its economy at the benefit of its neighbouring countries”.

  • Senate, Customs settle rift

    Senate, Customs settle rift

    • Smuggling our greatest undoing, says Saraki

    The lingering crisis of confidence between the Senate and the leadership of Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) may have been laid to rest.

    Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, Monday gave the Comptroller General of NCS. Col. Hameed Ali, the leeway to “jeans and T-Shirt” to office if that would enable him to tackle and end massive smuggling of goods into the country.

    The Senate had insisted on Ali wearing of Customs’ uniform before he could be accepted in any of its committees.

    Saraki who spoke at an investigative hearing on smuggling in the country, vowed that the Senate would stop at nothing to stamp out all forms of smuggling from Nigeria.

    Talking about the role of the NCS in the battle against smugglers Saraki said, “For the Comptroller General of Customs, let me say on a lighter note, that once you end smuggling, even if you want to wear jeans and T-Shirt, I will move the motion that you should wear jeans and T-Shirt. But on a serious note, this issue is very important. Let us all work towards ending this menace once and for all.”

    Saraki who said that NCS must do whatever it takes to stop smuggling insisted that smugglers must be checked at all cost.

    He described smugglers as the largest economic saboteurs that are ruining the country’s economy who must be identified.

    Underscoring the necessity for the investigative public hearing, Saraki noted that his personal presence along with Senate leader is to underscore the importance that the Senate places on the issue of smuggling.

    He said, “For me personally, it is my view that the singular greatest threat to our economy is this issue of smuggling. The singular greatest threat to the success of our government is this issue of smuggling. The singular greatest threat to the deliverance of the promises made by President Muhammadu Buhari on the diversification of the economy is this issue of smuggling.

    “The level of smuggling that we are seeing cannot continue because they will definitely rubbish all the policies of government if allowed to go on. I am saying that with all sincerity and all level of responsibility and I tell you why.

    “Today, the greatest threat to smallholder farmers is smuggling. Today farmers who have gone to take loans either from the CBN or from commercial banks are being threatened by rice coming in from across the borders which at subsidized rate. The meaning of that is that the imported rice will always be cheaper than those produced by our local farmers.

    “A time will come, if we do not do anything that these farmers will not be able to pay their loans to the banks and these will result in serious crisis. For the banks that have given loans to these farmers, will also have crisis in their hands. And for the Central that has intervened with billions of Naira, again will not be able to recoup their money. The processors who have invested in rice mills at the beginning of this administration will also be threatened if we do not address the issue of rice smuggling. As a country we have invested over $7billion over the last 10 years in stimulating local production.

    “If we do not address the area of smuggling, this investment will go to waste. This is the severity of the issue before us today. There is no institution, whether it is the National Assembly any other institution, in order to support the success of our President we must join to stop smuggling, without it, we should just forget the issue of diversification or agricultural production. We will only pay lip service to issue of agricultural production if we do not address the issue of smuggling and that is why I made it a point to come here personally to drive this message.”

    Saraki also said that individuals behind smuggling of goods into the country must be exposed.

    He said, “There is no government, any serious government that will render itself helpless because we must know the individuals who are doing this smuggling. We must be able to know who they are. Is it that they are larger and bigger than government? Is it that we cannot stop them? Or is it that we don’t want to stop them? Or is that we lack the competence to stop them? These are the questions that we put before us today. We must stop them.”

    He said that the country should sanction officers who are aiding and abating smuggling and as well as reward officers who prevent smuggling.

    On the connection of the Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) Saraki noted that although Nigeria is part of the regional body, “no serious country will allow anything that will ruin its economy at the benefit of its neighboring countries.”