The Founder of the National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents, Mr Lucky Amiwero, has charged the Federal Ministry of Finance to seek the withdrawal of the Nigeria Customs Service Draft Bill from the National Assembly.
Amiwero, in a letter titled, ‘The Nigeria Customs Service bill 2022 conflicts with other government agencies legislation and function in the process of import, export, manufacturing etc’ addressed to the President, Major General Muhammed Buhari (Rtd), said that the bill was not subjected to public hearing.
He added that the same bill, which was rejected in 2013, was now being represented in both the Senate and the House of Representatives.
“The Nigerian Customs Service Bill 2022, was not subjected to stakeholders/ public hearing at the Senate. The same bill rejected by the Federal Government in 2013 is now represented in both the Senate and the House with the same content. The Federal Minister of Finance as the Chairman of the Board and the Custodian of the Act, by the provision of Section 4-(1)(2)(3) and 5-(1) in addition to the provision under Section 148 of the Constitution, should seek for the withdrawal of the Nigeria Customs Service draft bill from the National Assembly, which was not subjected to stakeholders/ public hearing at the Senate.”
Amiwero, who is also former member and sub-committee chairman of the reconstituted Presidential Task Force on the Reform of the Nigeria Customs Service, stressed the need to review the bill in line with international best practices.
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