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LequteMan
Guest
Nigeria's Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Akinwumi Adeshina, according to PUNCH has responded to allegations of waiving rice import duty for some businessmen, saying it was all a lie.
Read: Nigeria's Agric. Minister Adesina' Enmeshed in N3.5bn Rice Import Duty 'Fraud'
An House of Reps committee, chaired by the House Deputy Leader, Leo Ogor. had summoned Adeshina to answer claims of alleged “fraud” and evasion of import duties and levies in the minister's portfolio.
Appearing before the committee yesterday, Adesina denied granting duty waivers or recommending exceptions for rice importers.
He however explained that some smart import companies tried to abuse the Federal Government’s rice production policy by importing huge quantities of the commodity in excess of their approved quota.
Some of the affected importers owe the Federal Government duties in excess of N36bn, he said.
“I don’t know why the hunter has become the hunted. On January 2, 2015, I directed that companies must pay the N36bn. I told the Customs in a letter to apply the duties accordingly.” he said.
According to him, he later got to know that the companies reached an understanding with the Nigerian Customs Service to pay the duties and levies applicable to the excess imports.
#Nigeria #AkinwumiAdesina
Read: Nigeria's Agric. Minister Adesina' Enmeshed in N3.5bn Rice Import Duty 'Fraud'
An House of Reps committee, chaired by the House Deputy Leader, Leo Ogor. had summoned Adeshina to answer claims of alleged “fraud” and evasion of import duties and levies in the minister's portfolio.
Appearing before the committee yesterday, Adesina denied granting duty waivers or recommending exceptions for rice importers.
He however explained that some smart import companies tried to abuse the Federal Government’s rice production policy by importing huge quantities of the commodity in excess of their approved quota.
Some of the affected importers owe the Federal Government duties in excess of N36bn, he said.
“I don’t know why the hunter has become the hunted. On January 2, 2015, I directed that companies must pay the N36bn. I told the Customs in a letter to apply the duties accordingly.” he said.
According to him, he later got to know that the companies reached an understanding with the Nigerian Customs Service to pay the duties and levies applicable to the excess imports.
#Nigeria #AkinwumiAdesina
