The Minister
of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, has accused some importers and Non-Governmental
Organisations (NGO) of planning to blackmail the ministry over import
duty
waivers.This was contained in a statement yesterday by the Director of
Information, Salisu Na’inna Dambatta.
Dambatta
said the “spurious” plot to malign the minister is based on her alleged refusal
to grant import duty waivers in respect of drugs, health commodities and
related equipment donated by the Global Fund.He explained: “There are laid-down
statutory procedures governing the granting of import duty waivers to importers
and NGOs, which are part of the holistic measures put in place to check abuses
of the Federal Government’s fiscal incentives. It is also to put to a halt the
rampart corrupt practices in the economic sector.”
The
information director said the procedures include submission of an application
by the importer and the NGO to the Federal Ministry of Finance.
This is done
through the Federal Ministry of Health, with evidence of registration with the
Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), and submission of an approved Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) between the donor agencies, the Federal Government and the
recipient NGOs.
He stressed
that such application must be duly signed by the Finance Minister or Minister
of State, Budget and National Planning, which must also include presentation of
a certificate of exemption from tax from the Federal Inland Revenue Service
(FIRS).
According to
him, only those who engage in non-profit making activities in line with their
objectives must do this.Other requirements are submission of: “a proforma
invoice indicating the value of the imported items, bill of laden and if the imported
items are donated, the NGOs are further required to provide the Federal
Ministry of Finance with authenticated letter from the donor agencies.”
The ministry
further stated that additional documentation might be required, adding that the
“so-called” applicants did not submit the required documents for processing
import duty waiver requests.
“The
Ministry has also observed that some importers and NGOs engage in the sale of
imported drug items which are meant to be distributed to the public free, after
being granted import duty exemption by the government.”
“This is in
contravention of the provisions of Section 46 of the Customs and Excise
Management Act (CEMA) of 1958 (as amended),” the statement explained.
Dambatta
explained that priority is often given to requests for import duty waivers for
medical equipment and drugs related items. According to him, 318 concession
applications were received and 175 were processed to conclusion from May 1 to
November 24 this year.
He warned
that the ministry would not succumb to “blackmail and acts of economic sabotage
under the guise of the delivery of health services to the people of Nigeria.”
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