Senators walk out on Customs boss
Some senators stormed out of Senate Committee meeting with Nigeria Customs Service over refusal of the Comptroller-General Hameed Ali to appear in his uniform.
Our correspondent reports that other controversial issues during the meeting of Senate Committee on Customs and Excise Duty and Nigerian Customs include lack of a chairman for Nigeria Customs Service Board.
Chairman Senate committee on Customs and Excise Duty, Senator Hope Uzodinma said it was wrong for the Comptroller- General to be acting as chairman of Nigeria Customs Service Board.
According to Senator Uzodinma, the position is meant to be headed by the Minister of Finance.
Similarly, Senator Dino Melaye said that some actions taken by the Comptroller-General of Customs Hameed Ibrahim Ali violates the acts setting up establishment of Customs Board.
The Comptroller-General of Customs Hameed Ibrahim Ali while responding to some of the questions by the Senators said that he derived his powers to act in his capacity from a memo signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Reactions and seeming attitude of the Comptroller-General of Customs Hameed Ibrahim Ali, led to the walk out by Senator ObinnaOgba, who insisted that the Custom Comptroller-General should operate within the ambit of the law.
Recall that Senate Committee on Customs and Excise during oversight visit to Customs headquarters in Abuja, said that Customs service should generate enough revenue to fund Nigerian budget.
Reports by Onuora Aninwobodo