The Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on the Investigation of Pre-Shipment Inspection of Exports and the Non-Remittance of Crude Oil Proceeds, Mr Seyi Sowunmi, has directed the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) to submit all documents requested by the Committee in relation to the ongoing probe.
Sowunmi gave the directive at the resumed investigative hearing held by the Committee.
The order followed submissions by representatives of the agencies, which the Committee described as incomplete and not up to date. He said the Committee would formally communicate new dates for the agencies to reappear with comprehensive documentation.
Earlier, the agencies briefed the Committee on their respective roles in the pre-shipment inspection process for oil and non-oil exports at various export terminals.
In her presentation, Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs, Caroline Diagwan, who represented the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adeniyi, said the Service operates strictly within the provisions of its enabling Act and other extant laws.
“Our role as regards export of food is we get what we call NXP, and then certificate of inspection, as well as export permit. We now make sure that those documents tally with what has been exported at the point of export. So we do examination as well as physical inspection of food.
“That is the role we play. We make sure that what is being exported tallies with the documents sent to us by the CBN, that’s the NXP, and then the export permit from NUPRC. We were there at the point of inspection. After inspection, that’s when they do the exportation. Customs are there with other government agencies.
“We don’t collect export duties, actually. And we don’t really know how much money they are paying to the government, because that’s not our purview. So as long as the documents they issue to us tally with what is there physically, they are good to go.
“The export takes place at export terminals under oil and gas command in Port Harcourt, as well as other commands in Edo and Delta. So these controllers of these commands send monthly returns to the headquarters on all the activities, which include all exports as well as imports,” she said.
Also speaking, a Director at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Musa Nakurji, who represented the CBN Governor, Mr Yemi Cardoso, explained that the apex bank serves as the coordinating platform for trade documentation through its automated systems.
“Regarding the issue of pre-shipment inspection, by the Act of 1992, the Central Bank is saddled with the responsibility for the administrative side of it. Let me first make a clarification: if you look at the Pre-Shipment Inspection Act, the Central Bank does not appoint the pre-inspection agent.
“In terms of the Form NXP, we don’t send anything manually to Customs. The process is automated, and Customs latch on to that to get their report.
“In the Central Bank, we operate the Trade Monitoring System. From the commercial bank of the exporter, they open the Form NXP.
“There is what is referred to as a Clean Certificate of Inspection. Anything that is going out, the pre-inspection agent has to inspect it in terms of quantity, quality and value. If satisfied, they issue a CCI,” he said.
Similarly, the General Manager, Tariff, of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Ibrahim Lukman, who represented the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Dr Abubakar Dantsoho, informed the Committee of the Authority’s statutory responsibilities in the export process.
He stated that the NPA appoints agents stationed at export terminals who relay relevant operational information to the Authority.
According to him, the NPA works in collaboration with other government agencies in line with established legal provisions and has clearly defined jurisdictional responsibilities at export terminals.
In his submission, a Director at NACCIMA, Dr Emmanuel Akeh, said the organisation is the umbrella body for chambers of commerce in Nigeria.
He clarified that NACCIMA has no role in crude oil exports, noting that its responsibility is limited to issuing Certificates of Origin for non-oil exports to authenticate the source and originality of goods leaving the country.
In his remarks, the Committee Chairman, Seyi Sowunmi, said the investigation is critical to addressing revenue leakages and ensuring accountability in the management of export proceeds.
“Because part of the problems Mr President is trying to cure is that we should account for every kobo that accrues to the nation. And that is what this Committee seeks to achieve,” he said.
The Committee subsequently ruled that the agencies would be formally notified of new dates to reappear and submit the comprehensive documents requested.
“We’re going to get back to you, we’re going to write to you, and any necessities that we need, please submit on time,” he added.
The Committee also directed that any official representing the head of an agency must present a formal letter of authority confirming their nomination and authorisation to speak on behalf of the agency.