Reps tasked to recover $5.1b owed FG by oil majors

Bola Badmus, Abuja - 08.06.2009

THE House of Representatives Committee on Customs has been tasked to insist that oil majors in the country pay the total sum of $5.1 billion Nigerian Export Supervising Scheme (NESS) levy owed the Federal Government.

The Global Network of Nigeria Patriots (GNNP) made the call at the weekend in Abuja, just as it described the recently concluded public hearing on the activities of the Nigerian Customs Service as a roadmap towards restoring the glory of the service.

The Comptroller- General of Customs, Bernard-Shaw Nwadialor, had told the committee headed by Honourable Yakubu Dogara that conservative estimate of the NESS levy owed by oil majors to the nations was in the region of $5.1 billion.

The national coordinator of GNNP, Mr. Tanimu Mustapha, said the levy was in respect of 0.15 per cent NESS levy payable to the coffers of government which the oil companies refused to pay over the years, whereas companies engaged in non- oil exports had 100 per cent compliance.

In a press statement, the group extolled the maturity and seriousness displayed by Honourable Yakubu, who through his dexterity, ensured Nigerians were exposed to the monumental rot in the service.

“We were shocked with the startling revelations from stakeholders at the public hearing and we now accept the fact that the nation has lost billions of dollars.

“This loss was due to sharp practices orchestrated by officials of the presidency and Federal Ministry of Finance and was executed by Customs officials, banks and some foreign companies from 2003 till date.

“One of the discoveries at the hearing was that no authority in the country knows the exact quantity of crude our oil majors export,” he said.