Members of the House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise expressed frustration on Monday over the failure of several government agency heads to attend an investigative hearing on the Nigeria Customs Service and border management.
The joint hearing, conducted in collaboration with the House Committee on Interior, had summoned the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji Ojo; Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi; Comptroller General of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kemi Nandap; and other stakeholders.
The purpose was to review the modernization of the Nigeria Customs Service, particularly the e-customs concession to the Trade Modernisation Project (TMP) and the involvement of Webb Fontaine in the initiative.
While Minister Tunji Ojo was reportedly abroad, no explanation was provided for the absence of the Customs and Immigration chiefs.
Their nonattendance led to criticism from committee members, including Olumide Osoba (APC, Ogun), who highlighted that the Nigerian Constitution empowers the parliament to summon individuals for explanations, emphasizing that only the heads of the agencies could adequately address the issues at hand.
Osoba stated that the absence of the chief executives rendered the hearing unproductive, as their representatives lacked the authority to provide critical answers.
Similarly, Awaji-Inombek Abiante (PDP, Rivers) condemned the officials’ absence, describing it as disrespectful to the parliament.
He warned that failure to attend subsequent hearings could result in the committee recommending their removal from office, suggesting either incompetence or disinterest in their roles.
Chairman of the Committee on Customs, Leke Abejide (ADC, Kogi), underscored the importance of the investigation for national revenue and security.
He expressed disappointment that the hearing had to be postponed, despite lawmakers’ efforts to prioritize the issue amidst their busy schedules.
The session will be rescheduled after the national budget’s passage, ensuring the availability of the key officials.
The committee aims to examine the process behind awarding the customs modernization concession to TMP, assess Webb Fontaine’s continued role in the system, and evaluate the scanners introduced by TMP to expedite goods clearance.
