The Home of Representatives has resolved to probe the irregularities within the remittance of a two per cent surcharge on imports to the Uncooked Supplies Analysis and Growth Council by the Nigeria Customs Service and the Federal Ministry of Finance.
The choice of the Home was sequel to the consideration and adoption of a movement throughout Wednesday’s plenary, sponsored by Kaduna lawmaker, Mr Mustapha Aliyu.
Based on Aliyu, the RMRDC was established in 1987 below the Science and Know-how Act, 2004, to scale back Nigeria’s dependence on imported uncooked supplies, with the first mission of selling analysis, creating, and utilising domestically accessible uncooked supplies to stimulate industrial progress and financial diversification.
He stated, “The Home is conscious that the RMRDC Act was repealed and enacted in 2022 with the import surcharge elevated from one to 2 per cent to adequately fund the Council’s operations and mandate.
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“We additionally know that the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Nigeria Customs Service and the Funds Workplace are accountable for guaranteeing the correct assortment, remittance, and budgeting of the 2 per cent surcharge to allow the Council plan and execute its statutory obligations successfully.
“The Home is worried that there are persistent irregularities within the calculation of the remittance of the 2 per cent import surcharge to RMRDC.
“Presently, the Council is being paid a negligible quantity of about 0.05%, of which sources can’t be outlined, and the dearth of transparency and accountability within the remittance course of contravenes the intent and provisions of Part 12(1)(b) of the RMRDC Act, 2022.
“We’re apprehensive that the irregularities or discrepancies and lack of readability created within the disbursement of the fund arbitrarily void the availability of the legislation and have significantly hampered the event of the nation and proceed to function a clog within the wheel of progress.”
At a plenary presided over Speaker Tajudeen Abbas, the Home urged the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Nigeria Customs Service to “Present an in depth clarification of the methodology and standards utilized in figuring out the 2 per cent import surcharge remittance and publish a clear framework for calculating and implementing the 2 p.c surcharge in compliance with the RMRDC’s Act, 2022.
It additional urged the Federal Ministry of Finance to make sure correct calculation and fast remittance of all arrears of the 2 per cent surcharge to the RMRDC.
