The Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
has criticized the proposed amendment of the bill which seeks to
modernize and consolidate the laws governing the Nigerian Customs
Service.
The bill seeks to repeal the Customs and Excise Management Act of 2004 and enact the Nigeria Customs Service Act.
According to the Minister, the proposed bill would affect the powers of the Finance Minister and the President in ensuring the economic well-being of the country.
Mrs Okonjo-Iweala, who appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance in Abuja, said: “We do not consider this a good bill at the moment, in terms of the economic development of the country and we think that it would need significant amendments of some sections.
“With the present bill, the policy making powers from the executive powers are all vested largely in the customs and are not separate.
“We believe that the bill should separate policy making powers and executing powers, so that they can be properly aligned.
“Many of the powers of the president that are granted in the former bill have now been rescinded,” she said.
However other people present at the hearing were of the view that the proposed bill would help the custom service carry out its function as a major source of revenue for the country and that the proposed bill is long overdue.
The chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Ahmed Markarfi, said this is one key issue the public hearing seeks to address.
He promised that the Senate will look at the bill and come up with a bill they believe is in the best interest of the country.
The Senate President, David Mark, who was represented at the hearing by the Senate majority leader, Victor Ndoma-Egbe, said the amendment of the Customs Management Act was long overdue.
He said: “the seventh senate is making history by reforming the Nigeria Customs Service by repealing existing laws to bring it in conformity with international laws.”
The bill seeks to repeal the Customs and Excise Management Act of 2004 and enact the Nigeria Customs Service Act.
According to the Minister, the proposed bill would affect the powers of the Finance Minister and the President in ensuring the economic well-being of the country.
Mrs Okonjo-Iweala, who appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance in Abuja, said: “We do not consider this a good bill at the moment, in terms of the economic development of the country and we think that it would need significant amendments of some sections.
“With the present bill, the policy making powers from the executive powers are all vested largely in the customs and are not separate.
“We believe that the bill should separate policy making powers and executing powers, so that they can be properly aligned.
“Many of the powers of the president that are granted in the former bill have now been rescinded,” she said.
However other people present at the hearing were of the view that the proposed bill would help the custom service carry out its function as a major source of revenue for the country and that the proposed bill is long overdue.
The chairman of the Senate Committee on Finance, Ahmed Markarfi, said this is one key issue the public hearing seeks to address.
He promised that the Senate will look at the bill and come up with a bill they believe is in the best interest of the country.
The Senate President, David Mark, who was represented at the hearing by the Senate majority leader, Victor Ndoma-Egbe, said the amendment of the Customs Management Act was long overdue.
He said: “the seventh senate is making history by reforming the Nigeria Customs Service by repealing existing laws to bring it in conformity with international laws.”
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