Duties On Old Vehicles: Senators Spit Fire, Insist Ali Must Appear Before Plenary On Uniform
LAGOS MARCH 9TH (URHOBOTODAY)-Nigerians Senators spit fire over the non appearance of Custom Comptroller General of Nigeria Customs (NCS) Hameed Ali for disobeying their order to appear before the National House of Aassembly.
Consequently, the Senate has again invited Ali to appear before plenary in his customs uniform for disobeying its order on the suspension of the policy on the collection of duties on old vehicles.
The Nigeria Customs Service despite Senate’s directive on the suspension of the duty, still went ahead with the proposed plan.
Senator Dino Melaye representing Kogi West moved a motion during Thursday’s plenary, that the Comptroller-General of the Customs must however be called to order for disregarding Senate resolution on the matter.
Melaye noted that the reports on the newspapers that the Customs would continue with the policy as against the Senate’s order was a coup on democracy and would not be accepted.
He prayed additionally that Hameed Ali should be re-summoned and made to appear in plenary and not before senate committee on customs, insisting that he must also be in Customs uniform.
Other lawmakers who spoke at the plenary are threatening to call for his sack if he continues to disregard the order of the Senate.
Sen. Solomon Olamilekan Adeola spits fire over the way the Controller General of Customs has been conducting the affairs of the agency with impunity.
“It is high time we put to a stop the high-handedness of the comptroller-general of customs.” The senator said, whilst speaking on the floor of the senate today.
He continued, “He (Col. Hameed) has been acting as if he is the commander in chief of Nigeria. Take for instance the issue of Nigeria Customs uniform. He is receiving salutes and making parades in mufti. Under him, Customs is doing bad, they behave like gangsters.
Senate Leader, Senator Ahmed Lawan in submission, opined that any government official that is asked to face the Senate must do so within the stipulated time stating the customs must make effort in securing the Nigeria borders.
While ruling on the matter, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, said that the Customs Comptroller General must appear live before the Senate in his appropriate uniform on Wednesday 15th of March,2017, adding that Nigerians must also fight impunity alongside corruption.
Recall that the Senate had resolved that the Customs should drop the move until its Comptroller-General appeared before the lawmakers to explain the idea behind the collection of the old duties.