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Again, Customs CG Fails to Appear Before Senate Panel
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The Comptroller General of the Nigerian Customs Service, Hameed Ali, has failed to appear before the Senate Committee on Public Accounts despite several summons.
Asides previous invitation over the Customs audit report, Mr Ali was again summoned by the committee last week following an indictment of the Customs by the auditor-general’s report.
The report stated that the Nigerian Customs Service and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) violated the Pension Reform Act 2014 which requires them to remit five per cent of their contributory pension to the National Pension Commission (PenCom).
The report by the auditor-general had among other things called on the accountant-general to “provide his investment ledger meant for the funds,” explain the reason the two agencies failed to comply with the provisions of the act while also sanctioning them as due.
Last week, the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, explained on behalf of the two.
“The noncompliance of the remittance of 5 per cent of the contributory pension (by the custom service, for instance) was as a result of insufficient funds. Also, I wish to state, as funding improves, the service will comply accordingly,” he said last week.
There was however, no representative from the Customs – hence the reason they were summoned again.
Reacting to his non-appearance, the chairman of the committee, Matthew Urhoghide, said the panel will “do a letter to the CG Customs that we are going to hold him responsible for the testimony given by the Accountant General.”
“His deliberate refusal to appear, (we) will take it that the accusations are correct and (we) are going to hold him responsible,” he said.
Ecology fund
The Secretary General of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, was also summoned over matter.
Habiba Lawal, permanent secretary of the Office Ecological fund, located in the Office of the SGF, appeared before the committee on behalf of the SGF.
She explained that over the years, from 1984, there have been several ratios for allocations to the ecological fund from the federation account.
But presently, she explained, the ratio from the federation account is: federal government 1 per cent, state government 0.72 per cent, local government 0.60 per cent, a total of 2.32 per cent.
She said the allocations to state and local governments do not come directly to the ecological fund office but is shared directly at Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) every month.
Speaking on how accruals to the federal government are spent, she said “the only thing the ecological fund office knows is what is in 1 per cent accruable to the federal government – of which our office is part of”.
“Within the one per cent meant for the federal government, the act setting up NEMA, gives them 20 per cent of the accruable of monthly basis from the ecological fund to NEMA to discharge it’s functions in addition to whatever appropriation they are given from the National Assembly.
“Also, the national agency for the great green wall also had an act that gives them 15 per cent of federal share from the ecological fund.
“The third layer which is new is the North East Development Commission which will start taking from the month of January and they will take 10 per cent of the federal government share of the ecological fund,” she said.
Ms Lawal also told the panel that the federal government’s allocation is not housed in the ecological fund office, but in the CBN under the custody of the office of the Accountant General of the Federation and the office of the Minister of Finance.
“So what comes to the ecological fund office in SGF’s office is the fund meant for the specific projects the president has approved. So if the president says the road from that door to that door should be done by the office of the ecological fund at the cost of N10.
“That approval is what I will send to the minister of finance who will process and send to the account general and then the SGF’s ecological fund account in CBN also will then be credited with the project funds. The ecological fund office cannot answer for the whole federation funds because it is not in our custody and our job is to implement these projects.”
The representatives of the office of the accountant general who appeared before the panel, requested for more time to prepare the necessary documents.
They were given two weeks by the committee.
Premium Times
President Bola Tinubu has expressed sadness over the death of Ambassador Patrick Dele Cole, describing him as a distinguished diplomat, journalist, politician and public servant.
Cole died at 86.
In a statement on Saturday, Tinubu said Cole devoted his life to national service and brought distinction to his work in diplomacy, journalism and politics.
“His career reflected the enduring value of dialogue, tact, mutual respect and the pursuit of shared interests in advancing national development and international cooperation,” the President said.
Tinubu noted Cole’s contributions to Nigeria’s media landscape, particularly as Managing Director of the Daily Times, where he upheld the role of the press in holding public officials accountable, speaking truth to power and strengthening democratic governance.
“His legacy in journalism and public life remains an enduring part of our national story,” he said.
The President said at 86, Cole witnessed defining moments in Nigeria’s history and contributed to national development, adding that his life stands as a testament to experience, principled engagement and commitment to public good.
Tinubu extended condolences to Cole’s family, friends, professional associates and all whose lives he touched, praying that memories of his remarkable life will bring comfort and strength.
“May Almighty God grant Ambassador Cole eternal rest and give his family and all who mourn him the fortitude to bear this profound loss,” he said.
Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said that her probe of an alleged $2.4bn subsidy fraud led to the abduction of her mother.
It would be recalled that the former Finance Minister’s mother, Kamene Okonjo, was kidnapped from her home in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, in December 2012.
In a recent interview with Bloomberg, Okonjo-Iweala said the abductors demanded that she resign as minister of finance and leave the country.
The WTO director-general served as Nigeria’s finance minister between 2011 and 2015 under former President Goodluck Jonathan.
She said the subsidy investigation began after her office noticed a sharp increase in claims submitted by petrol importers.
“So I went to the president and said, look, something is going on here. Could we audit the accounts? And he said, yes, go ahead. And we found about $2.4 billion worth of fraud. So, we refused to pay,” she recounted.
She said her mother was abducted shortly after the decision was announced, adding that her captors demanded her resignation as a condition for her release.
“I was told (by the kidnappers) that for her to be released, I should resign and leave the country,” she said.
The former minister described the incident as one of the most traumatic experiences of her life, saying her mother was held in a forest before escaping.
“She was held in the middle of a forest, and one night she escaped. She’s still alive. She’s 96 now,” Okonjo-Iweala said.
“It was a terrible, terrible five-day ordeal. I think the worst in my life.”
“I never dreamt my parents could ever be touched in this way, that people would be that evil,” she added.
Okonjo-Iweala said she considered resigning before her mother regained her freedom, but her father warned her against giving in to the abductors’ demands.
“He said, ‘We don’t give in to blackmail’. And he said, ‘You’ve got to carry on. You’ve got to go to work’,” she recalled.
President Bola Tinubu has told members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Council not to expect him to accompany them to every campaign event ahead of the 2027 general election, saying he must remain focused on governance and the country’s economic responsibilities.
Tinubu spoke on Wednesday during the inauguration of the APC Presidential Campaign Council in Abuja, where he urged members to take the party’s message to Nigerians across the states and local government areas while he continues to attend to matters of governance.
The president said he agreed with concerns that the demands of the campaign should not distract him from running the country, adding that Nigeria needs his attention at the moment.
“You’ve warned me not to allow the rigour of the campaign to distract me from governance, I hear you. I am in full agreement with your decision. Nigeria needs more attention now,” Tinubu said.
He told council members to excuse him from accompanying them to every campaign event, noting that his administration has bills to pay and international financial obligations to meet.
“So, you will excuse me from going everywhere with you, we have bills to pay. The American creditors cannot wait,” the President said.
Tinubu also said the government needs to attract investors who would commit to long-term investments in Nigeria and contribute to the future of the country’s children.
“We want those investors to come in, be here to stay, to invest for the future of our children,” he said.
The president, however, assured Nigerians that he would continue to engage them directly even as the campaign council took charge of mobilisation across the country.
“However, I will still make time to speak directly with Nigerians, even as you lead the campaign in the states and local government areas,” he said.
Tinubu described the inauguration of the council as more than a campaign activity, saying it represents a renewed commitment to Nigerians and the responsibilities of the ruling party.
“We have not gathered merely to inaugurate a council. We have gathered to renew a covenant. A covenant with Nigerian people and the historic responsibility they have entrusted to us as Nigeria’s governing party,” he said.
He added that the council is expected to communicate the administration’s vision, achievements and agenda to voters nationwide.
“This council will carry our vision, our records and our agenda to every Nigerian, and it will carry them to victory every ward of this country,” Tinubu said.
The president also commended APC members for completing the party’s congresses, recalling that some had predicted internal crises during the process.
He said the party has overcome the challenges and emerged united, crediting members for participating in the process from the ward level to the national leadership.
“They said there will be implosion. We passed through it. We did not fail. You didn’t let us down. We got here together,” he said.
