Vehicles Impoundment: Showdown between Senators, Customs as Hameed Ali gives condition for honouring Ekweremadu-led plenary’s order on him to appear in uniform

*Policy reflects public complaints, suggestions – Customs

*Says decision taken after consulting Motor Dealers body, AMDON

*Guides Nigerians on easy way to go about meeting deadline

*Ex-Customs Comptroller explains policy to recover unpaid duties

*My competence should bother Senators not uniform – Ali speaks

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, the Customs’ acting Public Relations Officer, Joseph Attah, said Nigerians would gain a lot from the new policy, and that the Customs’ management would meet the Senate to explain the benefits. Senators are respected representatives of the people. When we visit them we shall discuss, and I’m confident that with the gains in this action, they’ll see reasons,” he said.

The sign in the horizon clearly predicts what the situation will be in coming days between the Senators of the Nigerian National Assembly and the Nigerian Customs Service that is agency of the Federal Government, the executive.

The sign predicts a showdown between both sides.  Whereas the Senators appear to be having a good case of national interest wanting the Customs Comptroller-General, Col. Hameed Ali, to appear before its plenary to explain the insistence of his agency to go ahead with its plan to impound vehicles that do not have customs duty with effect from April this year, it seems the inclusion of appearing in uniform, many have argued, has personalised the good national work and that it will therefore cause a setback for the legislative oversight functions intended.

Where some Nigerians have kicked against the planned impoundment, others are asking if the Senators taking side with the policy opposition against the policy actually support that any vehicle brought into the country should be allowed to ply Nigerian roads without customs duty on it, no matter whether it happened now or in the past.

It would be recalled that a Senate plenary presided over PDP’s highest officer holder and Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu had in the past week ruled that Ali should appear before Senate plenary to explain the new policy in order to see how it would be done to avoid apprehensions among Nigerian people.  It however did not just say that Ali should come to explain but that he should come in Customs uniform.

Before ruling on the matter, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary, said: “Not even the National Assembly itself can impose punishment on crime that was committed years ago. It cannot happen. If we cannot do that, the Customs cannot do that either. What they are doing is totally unacceptable and we must say no to it.”

Those asking question over the matter are of the belief that the Senators’ attitude was more of hiding behind representing the agitations of their constituents to meddle in the affairs of arrangements by the executive, which is chief operating arm of government, to rid Nigeria of dumps, crimes and inability in most cases to track down criminals by vehicles they use for their evil operations.  They are saying asking the CGC to appear in uniform while coming explain vital issue of national concern has taken a departure away from the issue at hand.

Whereas they agree that it is in national interest for the Senators, who have constitutional duty to carry out oversight functions on the executive as well as its agencies for checks and balances purposes, to ask the Customs’ CG to come and explain to them the new policy on vehicles importation, those Nigerians are asking the rationale behind ordering him to make the appearance in uniform thereby “using mundane issue that is personal” to want to affect very vital issue of governance.

However, following the order by the Senators for Hameed Ali to appear in Customs uniform while coming to explain to them his new policy on vehicles importation, the former Military Governor of Kaduna State has fired back retorting that he was not appointed to wear uniforms.

“No, I was not appointed the Comptroller-General to wear uniform,” the Customs boss said during an interview with a Nigerian private television.

He asked, “Does the uniform work or the person behind the uniform? Am I doing my job or not? I think that’s what should interest the National Assembly,” he said.

Ali also insisted that he would appear before the Senators only if he was served an invitation through the appropriate channel.

“If the proper procedures for official invitation to chief executives of government are followed, I will appear before the Senate,” he said.

The relationship between Ali and the Senate became frosty following a resolution of the Senate ordering the Customs Service to halt a planned clampdown on vehicles without Customs duty, as well as their owners.

The Customs, on Thursday, March 2, 2017, gave a month grace period to all vehicle owners with no Customs duties to pay or risk seizure and prosecution. The directive didn’t go down well with Nigerians, judging by the huge criticisms it drew against the Customs, prompting the Senate to call for the suspension of the policy, which senators said could cause “significant discomfort to Nigerians.”

Sponsoring the motion, the Deputy Senate Leader Bala Ibn Na’Allah, told his colleagues that the Customs circular on the matter, dated March 2, was issued without clear guidelines as to what category of vehicles would be affected.

He said implementation of the circular would cause significant discomfort to the teeming law abiding citizens of Nigeria, adding that it was already causing anxiety among Nigerians.

“The Senate hereby resolves to direct the Nigerian Customs to stop all actions regarding the implementation of the same circular until it appears before the Senate Committee on Customs to explain in details, the purpose of the circular to the Nigerian public,” Ibn Na’Allah said.

Consequently, the Senate mandated its Committee on Customs to immediately engage the Nigeria Customs, with a view to fashioning out what could be acceptable to the Nigerian public.

Before ruling on the matter, Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary, said: “Not even the National Assembly itself can impose punishment on crime that was committed years ago. It cannot happen. If we cannot do that, the Customs cannot do that either. What they are doing is totally unacceptable and we must say no to it.”

“All Customs officers know that it is a grave offence to release unpaid duty vehicles or aid and abet such action. It is an automatic dismissal.  There is no going back on government law. They cannot suspend action. Look at my car. When I got it I paid the duty and it is computerised. It can be crosschecked at all points.  The law allows Customs to mount any check and apprehend vehicles without duty since they are termed to be illegal. If you have a genuine duty you are free to go,’’ ex-Customs Comptroller, Mashi, said.

Citing “public complaints and suggestions,” the Customs, last Wednesday said Ali had approved “60 per cent rebate across board,” and despite the Senate’s resolution, it vowed to go ahead and impound any vehicle that did not use the one-month window to pay its duty, as well as prosecute the owner.

Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja, the Customs’ acting Public Relations Officer, Joseph Attah, said Nigerians would gain a lot from the new policy, and that the Customs’ management would meet the Senate to explain the benefits.

“Senators are respected representatives of the people. When we visit them we shall discuss, and I’m confident that with the gains in this action, they’ll see reasons,” he said.

He said the Customs took the decision after consulting with leadership of the Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria (AMDON), adding that they may extend the April 12 deadline, depending on compliance.

He said their action was in tandem with the Federal Government’s Vehicle Identification Project (VIP), and urged Nigerians to take advantage of the grace period to pay for their vehicles’ duty and enjoy a rebate of 60 per cent for 2015 models downward.

“Visit any Customs command near you and verify your papers and know if the right duty was paid. Ignorance is no excuse. There is a one-month grace period for now with 60 per cent rebate. It won’t be good to have your vehicles impounded or seized,” he said.

A retired Comptroller of Customs, Mammam Mashi, said the organisation was executing a fiscal policy of the Federal Ministry of Finance by ensuring that unpaid duties are recovered.

He said the ban on land import was as a result of the increasing abuse of the processes, which necessitated the government to come up with only seaports as points of entry.

“Those cars being asked to be apprehended are illegally imported, given the fact that for any import to be legally binding, it must have a proof of duty paid. No one is exempted. Customs is just enforcing the laws of the land,’’ he said,

Asked why they allowed such vehicles to come into the country, Mashi said it was the mistake of officers on duty in those particular days.

“All Customs officers know that it is a grave offence to release unpaid duty vehicles or aid and abet such action. It is an automatic dismissal.

“There is no going back on government law. They cannot suspend action. Look at my car. When I got it I paid the duty and it is computerised. It can be crosschecked at all points.

“The law allows Customs to mount any check and apprehend vehicles without duty since they are termed to be illegal. If you have a genuine duty you are free to go,’’ he said.

On the allegation that Custom officers issue fake duty, Mashi noted that there were several outlets in Lagos and other places where fake Customs duty could be printed. He said it was not the duty of Customs to check those places.

On the allegation that Custom officers issue fake duty, Mashi noted that there were several outlets in Lagos and other places where fake Customs duty could be printed. He said it was not the duty of Customs to check those places.