The Senate yesterday demanded full disclosure of sources of funding for the clean-up of polluted Ogoni land in River State.
Its Committee on Environment made the demand during this year’s budget defence of the Ministry of Environment.
Committee Chairman Oluremi Tinubu set the tone for accountability.
The Lagos Central senator hailed the Minister of Environment, Mrs. Amina Mohammed, for her appointment as deputy secretary General of the United Nations (UN).
Senator Tinubu, who described Mrs. Mohammed as “the pride of the women folk,” noted that the country will continue to pray for her to succeed in her appointment.
She said this year’s budget was different because “we are looking at a budget of recovery and growth”.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) senator insisted that the ministry, departments and agencies under the Ministry of Environment must be accountable because they received public funds from the Federal Government.
Senator Tinubu said her committee, though interested in the budget projections, also wished to know the 2016 budget performance of the Ministry of Environment.
A committee member, Suleiman Hunkuyi, urged the minister to brief the committee on the Ogoni clean-up.
The Kaduna North senator said the committee needed to know the source(s) of funding for the clean-up.
He said the committee should be informed neither Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) or Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) was funding the clean-up.
According to him, a situation where the committee was kept in the dark about the sources of funding for the clean-up did not show transparency.
Hunkuyi noted that “any expenditure for the clean-up campaign must be fully disclosed and appropriated”.
He said: “The exclusion of the National Assembly from knowing the funding sources is not the best way to go. There are so many sources of funding for the clean-up campaign the National Assembly does not know. The knowledge of the sources of funding for the campaign will enable us to properly perform our oversight on the clean-up campaign.”
Hunkuyi said to the best of his knowledge, Shell was not funding the clean-up campaign.
The senator noted that since the Ministry of Environment was coordinating the clean-up, the committee must be allowed to perform its oversight on all activities connected with the clean-up.
He said this was necessary because NNPC was providing funds for the clean-up.
Hunkuyi said the committee should be told the source of $2 million the minister said had been released for the clean-up.
The senator noted that whether the funding went to the ministry in cash or not did not matter.
Mrs Mohammed said SPDC was a private entity that needed to pay for the mistake it made in Ogoni land.
The minister said SPDC was providing funding for the clean-up.
Another committee member, Foster Ogola, said the Federal Government announced a N10 billion funding for the clean-up but the provision was not in the budget.
The Bayelsa West senator said the fact that the N10 billion counterpart funding was “nowhere in the budget, is a source of worry for us”.
He said the Ogoni clean-up was less than five per cent of the clean-up required in the Niger Delta.
Ogola, who asked “what happens to the other Niger Delta areas also polluted,” warned that “if there is no provision in the budget, it might lead to more militant activities”.
He said: “You talked about $1 billion out of which $200 million has been released. There should be transparency in the clean-up of Ogoni land. What is Federal Government’s cash backing for the clean-up of Ogoni land? We should know.”
The minister reeled out what her ministry planned to do in the 2017 fiscal year.
Tag: Senate
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Senate demands full disclosure on Ogoni clean-up
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Senate to hold public hearing on 2017 Budget tomorrow
The Senate is holding a public hearing on the 2017 Appropria-tion Bill submitted to the legislature by President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the public hearing is aimed at allowing stakeholders and members of the public to make contributions to the proposed legislation before passage by the National Assembly.
It said that over the past week, the Senate has suspended regular plenary sessions with a view to giving all committees an opportunity to conduct adequate oversight and for ministries, departments and agencies of the federal government to defend the allocations included in the estimates submitted to the legislature by President Buhari.
It said that the joint public hearing, will push the budget defence a step further by allowing members of the public to weigh-in constructively on ways to improve the appropriations bill.
“This will be the first time something like this is happening,” Abdullahi said adding: “It’s a testament to the leadership and foresight of the Senate President, and the commitment of the 8th Senate as a whole to ensure that the budget is passed transparently – with adequate feedback from the general public.”
Senate President Bukola Saraki stated that the historic public hearing on the budget is aimed at ensuring more citizen-participation in the legislative processes.
“We will continue to create platforms such as these, that will allow the general public to play a role in what we do here,” the Senate President said.
“Moving forward, the public can expect that we will continue this practice of having an open budget hearing where every-day Nigerians are primary contributors.”
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Senate screens 46 ambassadorial nominees
The Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs on Wednesday concluded the screening of the 46 ambassadorial nominees whose names were forwarded to the Senate by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Chairman of the committee, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu, commended the nominees for their dedication and commitment.
Senator Sunmonu assured that the committee would work on the report of the screening committee promptly to enable it transmit the report to the Senate in plenary for confirmation.
The Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Sen. Ita Enang, in his reaction, expressed the Presidency’s appreciation on the completion of the exercise.
He acknowledged the commitment of the committee to the assignment, saying the members carried out the screening in two days as against three days scheduled for the exercise.
“You stressed yourself to conclude it and we appreciate the effort,’’ he said.
Those screened are – Dr. Uzoma Emenike (Abia), Aminu Iyawa (Adamawa), Maj.-Gen. Godwin Umo (retd) (Akwa Ibom), Christopher Okeke (Anambra), Yusuf Tuggar (Bauchi) and Baba Madugu (Bauchi).
Others are – Brig.-Gen. Stanley Diriyai (Bayelsa), Prof. Steven Ugba (Benue) and Baba Jidda (Borno), Dr Etubom Asuquo (Cross River), Mr. Frank Efeduma (Delta), Jonah Odo (Ebonyi) and Uyagwe Igbe (Edo).
Also screened are – Dr. Eniola Ajayi (Ekiti), Maj.-Gen. Chris Eze (Enugu), Suleiman Hassan (Gombe), Justice Sylvanus Nsofor (Imo), Aminu Dalhatu (Jigawa), Ahmed Bamali (Kaduna), Deborah Iliya (Kaduna) and Prof. Dandatti Abdulkadir (Kano).
Mr. Haruna Ungogo (Kano), Justice Isa Dodo (Katsina), Mohammadu Barade (Katsina), Prof. Tijjani Bande (Kebbi), Prof. Y. O. Aliu (Kogi) Nurudeen Mohammed (Kwara), Prof. Mohammed Yisa (Kwara), Justice George Oguntade (Lagos) and Modupe Irele (Lagos) are among the nominees.
The names also included Musa Muhammad (Nasarawa), Ahmed Ibeto (Niger), Suzanne Folarin (Ogun), Jacob Daodu (Ondo), Afolahan Adeyemi (Osun), Maj.-Gen. Ashimiyu Olaniyi (retd) (Oyo), James Dimka (Plateau) and Dr. Haruna Abdullahi (Plateau).
Mr. Orji Ngofa (Rivers), Sahabi Gada (Sokoto), Kabiru Umar (Sokoto), Hassan Ardo (Taraba), Goni Bura (Yobe), Garba Gajam (Zamfara), Cpt. Bala Mairiga (Zamfara) and Ibrahim Ugbada (FCT) completed the list.
President Buhari had on January 12 re-transmitted the nominees’ list to the Senate for confirmation after it was first rejected.
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Senate to Amaechi: Retract claim on foreign loans
The Senate on Wednesday asked the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi, to withdraw his claim that the National Assembly’s refusal to approve foreign loan requests was stalling projects execution in country.
The upper chamber said Amaechi made the statement during Monday’s North Central Town Hall meeting held in Ilorin, Kwara State.
Senate said the minister reportedly claimed that the refusal of the National Assembly to approve the government’s request for foreign loan that will be used for counterpart funding was frustrating the construction of the Lagos-Ibadan and Ibadan-Ilorin-Minna -Kano rail lines.
The Senate, in a statement by its spokesman, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, said the statement was not only “false, misrepresenting and contradictory to available facts but also portrayed the minister as somebody that is not in tune with the position of the government in which he is serving.”
The statement said: “As at today, the only request for approval from the Executive for loan was the one dated January 27, 2017 and signed by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo seeking a ‘resolution of the National Assembly for the Issuance of $1 billion EuroBond in the international capital market for the funding of the 2016 budget deficit’ and we immediately granted the approval.
“Also, in the letter quoted above, the government mentioned the two rail lines cited by the minister as part of the projects for which the EuroBond will be utilised. So, we cannot understand what the grouse of Mr. Amaechi is.
“We view that statement based on false and misinformed premise strongly as a mere attempt to incite the people against the National Assembly. The minister should therefore withdraw that statement. Furthermore, the National Assembly will take up the matter with the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.
“As a former Speaker of a state House of Assembly, we believe that a minister like Amaechi should always check his facts and refrain from making unguarded and inciting remarks against the legislature.
“What Nigeria needs at this point is for all arms of government to work together and create the synergy necessary to take Nigeria out of the present economic crisis we have found ourselves. Comments designed to infuriate one arm of government or incite the people against another arm of the government will do no one any good and we do not expect such statements from a minister in the present government.”
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No need for emergency sitting over Buhari’s letter, says Senate
‘President has followed the law by transmitting a letter to us’
There is no need to recall senators for plenary to debate President Muhammadu Buhari’s medical vacation extension letter, the Senate said yesterday.
The upper chamber, which confirmed receipt of the letter, said the president had complied with the constitution’s requirement to that the Senate must be informed about his vacation.
Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs Chairman Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi told reporters that Senate President Bukola Saraki had received the letter.
He said: “There is no emergency for us to say we are suspending or recalling what back. When we resume, all communications that come in will be taken. There’s no emergency here because he has done what he is constitutionally mandated to transmit a letter to us and he has done that.”
Abdullahi added: “As you are aware, the Senate suspended plenary to carry out one of the most important duties, which is the interaction with the MDAs on the 2017 budget, and you will recall that we received before we suspended plenary, a letter from Mr. President which was dated 18th, January 2017 where he informed the distinguished senators that he was proceeding on his vacation for 10 days and this is to meet the constitutional provisions.
“In the letter, he stated very clearly that the vice president would take charge of the running of the country. This is a normal thing and, of course, based on that timing, Nigerians were expecting the return of Mr. President.
“Now, we are in receipt of the second letter from Mr. President where he is informing the Senate that he is extending his vacation and this arose because in the first letter he did inform us that he will use that to see his doctors.
“In this second letter he is informing the Senate that he is extending his vacation because in the cause of that routine medical check-up there were still some tests his doctors still want to run further and so because of that he is extending his stay.
“This is a constitutional provision and let me say it is within his prerogative to do so and we are in receipt of that letter accordingly.
“This is why we had to brief you so that we are now confirming that ‘yes we are in receipt of that letter formally’ and we know that many things have been going on but this is our formal and official pronouncement to Nigerians on this particular subject matter.”
Asked whether the letter was indefinite on the President’s return, Abdullahi said: “It didn’t say indefinite because indefinite is taking the matter out of context but then he said he is extending that beyond the 10 days he has asked for and because the tests that are going to be run are not in his hand; it is in the hands of the doctors, he is not giving us a date. But definitely he is extending and I think that is what is important.
”As it is, you said according to the constitution. I’m not sure if there’s any provision giving specified date for the leave of Mr. President not to my knowledge. And if you say by our rule, Mr. President does not work by our rule; we work by our rule but the constitution guides us all.”
”As it is we have suspended plenary to allow the various committees attend to the national budget which is a very important document that Nigerians are waiting for.
Also yesterday, Senator Abu Ibrahim (Katsina South) said contrary to insinuations about the President’s health, Buhari is merely exhausted.
Ibrahim, who is believed to be one of the senators close to President Buhari said the weight of the country’s mounting problems might have affected him.
The senator said that he was in touch with Buhari and was actually with him the day he left the country.
The Katsina South lawmaker reeled out issues that might have taken a toll on the President, including destruction of oil pipelines that reduced production to almost half, fall in oil prices that affected the economy and led to recession, and the falling exchange rate that has affected the purchasing power of most Nigerians.
He said that some of those talking about the falling exchange rate failed to also talk about what led to the weak naira against the dollar.
Ibrahim, who stressed that “President Buhari will soon come back”, noted that there was no need for Nigerians to be unduly apprehensive “because Mr. President is not sick but exhausted by the weight of the problems the country is going through”.
Nigerians, he added, should rather pray for the President to return and continue his work to make the country better. -
Senate confirms Buhari’s vacation extension letter
The Senate on Tuesday explained President Muhammadu Buhari’s letter extending his medical vacation.
The upper chamber which formally confirmed receipt of the letter, said President Buhari was constitutionally required to inform the Senate about the extension of his vacation.
The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, who spoke at press briefing told reporters that the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, received the letter.
The Senate spokesman, however, refused to say when the letter was received and the date it was written.
Abdullahi simply said he was briefed on Tuesday to inform Nigerians that President Buhari’s letter extending his vacation had been received and in the custody of the Senate.
“As you are aware the Senate suspended plenary to carry out one of the most important duties which is the interaction with the MDAs on the 2017 budget and you will recall that before we suspended plenary we received a letter from Mr. President which was dated 18th, January 2017 where he informed the Distinguished Senators that he was proceeding on his vacation for 10 days and this is to meet the constitutional provisions.
“In the letter he stated very clearly that the vice president will take charge of the running of the country. This is a normal thing and of course based on that timing, Nigerians were expecting the return of Mr. President.
“Now, we are in receipt of the second letter from Mr. President where he is informing the Senate that he is extending his vacation and this arose because in the first letter he did inform us that he will use that to see his doctors.
“In this second letter he is informing the Senate that he is extending his vacation because in the cause of that routine medical checkup there were still some tests his doctors still want to run further and so because of that he is extending his stay.”
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My appointment as Majority leader to stabilise Senate, says Lawan
Senate Majority leader Ahmed Lawan has said his emergence will bring stability and foster unity among senators.
Lawan, who spoke to reporters at the weekend in Damaturu, observed that his appointment was predestined and divine, adding that the decision by his colleagues to make him the Senate leader was the original position of All Progressive Congress (APC) caucus of the Senate and the party.
The executive, Lawan said, could not do without the support of the legislature, which he described as the key component of democracy.
He stressed that the Senate will focus on supporting the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration to achieve its programmes and policies.
“My appointment as Senate Majority leader by my colleagues in the APC caucus was an act of God; it was predestined. I want to thank my colleagues for having the confidence in me to do that job.
“My appointment as you know was the position of the APC right from the beginning when we ran for the Senate Presidency with the Senate President Bukola Saraki. The party nominated me as the Senate leader, Senator George Akume as the deputy Senate leader and other two principal officers for other party positions. But something happened and we were never so appointed.
”But in the wisdom of our colleagues after one and a half years or so, the caucus decided that it was time to change what was done and that the party’s supremacy must be adhered to and here we are.
“It is our believe that stabilising the APC caucus in the Senate will bring unity to the Senate and we can now face the real challenges of development in our administration. I believe that will also stabilise the Senate as a whole because a stabilised and unified APC caucus ensures that the APC caucus and the minority parties will work better. So, on the whole, we have a better Senate now, a more stable Senate and I am sure it’s going to be a more productive Senate.
“We need to support our President, Muhammadu Buhari. The legislature is so important that whatever legislative interventions the President and his administration require should be done in good time. We have no time to waste. We need to do everything possible, particularly this year, as an administration to make life better for Nigerians and we are focused and determined to give the president and this administration the support for a better Nigeria,” Lawan said.
On the hardship in the country and the position of the Senate, he explained that the Senate was always on the side of the people, adding that the 2017 Appropriation Bill was tailored towards making life better for ordinary Nigerians.
“The suffering in the country is one of the serious economic challenges that we face at the moment. It is because the Senate has always been on the side of the common Nigerians. What we have tried to do, however, is that in the 2017 budget, we have made provisions to make the economy better.
“I can tell you that the appropriation bill that the president submitted to the National Assembly has so many provisions of estimates that are geared towards bringing some reliefs to Nigerians, such as social interventions, which target the most vulnerable and the disadvantaged in the society.
“They will get access to some funds for agricultural purposes and employment opportunity for our teaming youth.
“The Senate cannot do anything different from that because this administration wants to make life better for the people and the Senate has to key into that either through legislation or enlightening the public on policy and we remain with the administration,” Lawan said.
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$174m ADB loan: Senate, Reps summon Fashola over sack of TCN management
The Senate and House of Representatives Joint Committee on Power yesterday summoned the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, to explain the sudden sack of the management of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
The minister was asked to appear before the joint committee on Monday February 6, to provide explanation for the removal of the management of TCN.
The National Assembly expressed worry about the brewing crisis in the TCN over the unilateral change in the leadership of the company.
The Nation gathered that the change in the leadership of the TCN was in fulfillment of the conditions to obtain the $174 million loan granted the Federal Government a year ago by the African Development Bank (ADB).
The loan was specifically granted to tackle the country’s energy crisis. The removal of the management team of the TCN was said to be a major condition for the loan.
In the absence of the management of TCN, ADB “experts” will be deployed to run the TCN and manage the national grid for six months in the first instance.
It was learnt that President Muhammadu Buhari’s approval of the condition paved the way for the sudden removal of TCN’s Managing Director, Abubakar Atiku Tambuwal.
Alhaji Usman Gur Muhammed, a former member of staff of the TCN, has been penciled to replace Tambuwal..
A statement by the joint power committee of the Senate and the House of Representatives yesterday, asked the Power, Works and Housing minister to appear to throw light on the development.
The joint committee after its meeting also directed that “the status quo ante in respect of the management of TCN be maintained”.
The statement endorsed by Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and the Chairman of the House Committee on Power, Daniel Asuquo, also ordered that: “All TCN staff and relevant stakeholders should maintain the peace in the overall interest of the nation.”
The Senate had on Wednesday wondered why a critical national asset like the TCN would be handed over to the ADB when it has not been privatised.
The statement entitled “The TCN Leadership Crisis and its Effect on the Power Sector” reads:
“The Joint Committee on Power of the National Assembly acting on its powers of oversight received disturbing correspondences and information regarding the sudden change in the leadership of TCN, and its attendant crisis.
“Considering the urgency of the matter, especially due to the present economic recession, the Joint Committee resolved to invite the Hon. Minister of Power, Works and Housing to explain the decision of the ministry to “import” from the ADB (one of the lenders to TCN) yet another duplication of the Manitoba experience which had left a negative impression on the fortunes of TCN and indeed the Power Sector.
“The Joint Committee invited the Hon. Minister for Power, Work & Housing to appear before the Committee along with relevant officials on the 3rd of February which he could not appear.
“Consequently, the Joint Committee met and resolved as follows:
“(a) That the status quo ante in respect of the management of TCN be maintained;
“(b) That the Minister should endeavor to appear before the Committee on Monday 6th February, 2017 by 10 am. and
“(c) That all TCN staff and relevant stakeholders should maintain the peace in the overall interest of the nation”
The lawmakers were said to be “very concerned about some issues which may arise from the loan deal if implemented as agreed.”
A member of the committee noted that they were particularly worried about: “The propriety of allowing the ADB to run the TCN even when it is yet to be privatised;the legality of removing the TCN management, which is just midway into its tenure; and the arrangement under which the critical national asset will be given to the ADB.”
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Senate, Reps stop SGF’s office, Aviation’s budget defence
Budget defence began yesterday on a sour note for some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir David Lawal’s representative was turned back by senators.
The House of Representatives committee asked the Ministry of Transportation (Aviation) to properly explain how the 2016 budget was used. The ministry was prevented from defending its 2017 estimates.
However the Ministry of Transportation was lucky. The senate committee okayed its 2017 estimates.
The bickering between the Senate and the SGF over alleged abuse of office leveled against Lawal, was resuscitated during a budget defence session yesterday.
The SGF sent a permanent secretary to appear before the Senate Committee on Federal Character and Inter Governmental Affairs to defend the 2017 estimates of his office.
Lawal’s absence did not go down well with members of the Senator Tijjani Kaura-led committee, who refused to honour the Permanent Secretary, General Services Office of the SGF, Mohammed Bukar.
The Permanent Secretary informed the committee of the absence of the SGF minutes before commencement of the meeting.
The SGF, it was learnt, was attending a meeting, hence he could not appear before the senate.
But members of the committee insisted that “the permanent secretary will not be allowed to represent the SGF.
They frowned at “the failure of the SGF to inform the committee in writing about his inability to be available for the budget defence.”
The lawmakers put off the budget defence and proceeded to brief Senate President Bukola Saraki on why it became necessary for the meeting to be postponed.
It was learnt last night that the SGF had indicated that he would be willing to appear before the committee at the next date.
A member of the committee told reporters: “Much as we try to protect the SGF as a brother, there are limits to what he should do. What he ought to do was to seek the understanding of the committee to reschedule the meeting, which is a normal thing.
“As far as the committee is concerned, courtesy demands that he should call the chairman. He did not appear and he did not show concern. Since he is not here and not ready, he should make contact with the committee to reschedule.
“Why he is not here is not cogent enough. He said he went to condole with a family over the loss of a loved one, but here we have a colleague, a senator for that matter, who is also supposed to attend the funeral of a loved one staying back to attend the budget defence.
“As far as we are concerned, the excuse he gave of going for the burial of a loved one is not a good one at all.”
The relationship between the Senate and SGF became sour following the resolution of the Senate that President Muhammadu Buhari should sack the SGF over alleged abuse of office. But the President urged the senate to side step the resolution.
Ministry of Aviation officials were prevented from defending the ministry’s budget yesterday unless a comprehensive presentation was made to the House of Representatives Committee on Aviation within 48 hours.
This is because officials of the Ministry failed to satisfactorily defend some expenditures of the Ministry in the 2016 budget document.
The Ministry’s Director of Finance, Akin Ijiwole, failed to convince the Nkeiruka Onyejeocha-led Aviation Committee on how N407million was committed to a N700m project but had zero performance recorded in the budget document.
In addition, while the Committee expressed concern over budget releases, budget performance and physical development, it questioned the rationale behind the completion of 22 capital projects out of 98 while 28 projects out of 32 were completed for Overhead.
The Committee also sought explanation for the release of N25million out of N320milion for Enugu Airport control tower with the fiscal year running out.
The Committee wondered if the project would not end up as another abandoned project.
Mrs Onyejeocha said: “There is an urgent need to discuss procedures for making the aviation sector self- sustaining in line with the stance on diversification.
“The aviation sector is of enormous importance to our nation and matters concerning expenditure and revenue projections require careful consideration to reap the benefits the sector has to offer”.
Minister of State (Aviation) Hadi Sirika, said the decision of the government was to complete all abandoned projects, which was the reason behind the mobilisation of contractors that had abandoned projects across the country. He cited the example of Enugu and Port Harcourt Airports
On the closure of Abuja Airport, he said, “We have done all we can, the process for closure of the airport is complete.
When asked to break down the figure in the budget document the Director of Finance failed to convince the Committee members with his explanation.
This led the Committee to warn that the consideration of the Ministry’s 2017 budget would be affected unless full information on the real percentage of project completion and a comprehensive budget estimates presentation was made within 48 hours.
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Senators tackle Customs CG over failure to wear uniform
The Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Colonel Hameed Ali (rtd) Thursday came under intense Senate pressure over his refusal to wear custom uniform since his appointment in 2015.
This is coming as a former Comptroller- Generals of Custom said that Col. Ali should have been addressed as sole administrator of NCS and not Customs CG.
The former Customs boss, Mohammed Bello who served under former President Ibrahim Babangida administration noted that since Ali was not ready to wear a uniform depicting the office and rank of Customs CG, he should have been designated sole administrator.
The Altercation with Ali occurred at an interactive session the Senate Committee on Customs and Excise had with the management Customs, Ministry of Finance and Central Bank of Nigeria over an impending amendment bill aimed at restructuring the NCS.
A member of the Committee, Senator Obinna Ogba, demanded to know why Col Ali as Customs’ CG still appear and wear mufti close to two years after his appointment.
The Ebonyi Central Senator noted that the continuous appearance of Col Ali in mufti several months after his appointment appears to be “highly demoralising to officers and men of the front-line revenue generating agency.”
Ali fired back that as a former military officer, tradition does not permit him to wear any other uniform.
Ali’s response infuriated another of the Committee, Senator Dino Melaye.
The visibly enraged Melaye promptly reminded the Custom CG that a retired General of the Nigerian Army, Halidu Hananiya wore Federal Road Safety Commission’s uniform when he was appointed Corps Marshall of the Commission.
Ali countered and told the committee that Gen. Hananiya made a fundamental mistake by wearing FRSC uniform.
The insistence of Ali that he would not wear Customs uniform angered Senator Ogba who angrily walked out the session.
While walking out of the hearing room, Ogba retorted “this is how you people keep on deceiving Nigerians on wrong action and still defending it.”
The Customs boss would have none of that as he refused to give in to the pressure of the committee members.
The committee also confronted Ali over the non-composition of Customs board since 2015 when it was dissolved.
Chairman of the committee, Senator Hope Uzodinma, insisted that “it was wrong and in fact illegal for the Customs CG alone to promote and fire officers without the board in place.
Uzodinma mandated the CG to ensure the immediate constitution of the board in line with Customs Act.
Uzodinma said, “You claim that the Minister of Finance is the one delaying the composition of the board; this committee is writing letters straight away to the Minister, Secretary to the Government and Attorney General of Federation to put the board in place without any further delay.”
Although the session ended almost on a sour note, Uzodinma jokingly told the Custom CG that “We are releasing you to go and sow your uniform while we continue with official of Ministry of Finance and Central Bank.”
Bello at another session supported the committee for querying the Col. Ali over his continuous refusal to wear Custom uniform.
The former Customs boss noted that Col Ali should have been designated as Sole administrator and not CG of Customs since he was not prepared wear Customs uniform.
Other former Customs CGs including Buba Jacob now Gwon Gwon of Jos, Bernard-Shaw Nwadialo , A. Mustapha, defended the Customs Service on implementation of destination inspection policy as against pre-shipment inspection policy which the committee said remained the existing Act.