Assistant Comptroller (Trade and Tariff),
Anthony Ayalogu who revealed this while giving an update on the role of Customs
in the importation of Petroleum products in the country stated that by the
directive, the organization’s hand were tied to know what transpired as far as
the products are concerned.
However, he added that the directive,
according to the permanent secretary, was to reduce the bureaucracy which
resulted to delays through the verification and distribution of petroleum products
to consumers.
“Customs has been prohibited from supervising
and verifying the actual petroleum products imported into the country through a
letter from a former Permanent Secretary of Federal Ministry of Finance since
2008", Ayalogu said.
Frowning over the directive which it
considered as an anomaly, the Committee chairman, Hon Zakari Mohammed immediately
set aside the order, and directed the Comptroller General of Customs to ensure
that the Customs resumes its statutory duties of both supervision and
verification wondering the basis for such instructions which hindered a proper
account of the petroleum products brought into the country.
“Customs should work according to the law no
matter what anybody says. It is your responsibility and the customs Act
supersedes any letter stopping it from working. A perm sec shouldn’t tell you
how to carry out your duties”
“If the importation of products was unchecked
since 2008, other things could have been brought into the country under the
guise of the letter. The process must be stopped forthwith” Mohammed ordered.
Furthermore, Mohammed directed that the
Permanent Secretary should appear before the committee to give account and shed
more light on the allegation though no specific date was adopted.
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