(L) Senate President, Bukola Saraki and other senators
The Senate on Thursday passed a resolution urging the Federal Government to revoke all import waivers on rice and other agricultural products and ensure all outstanding revenues were collected.
In a two-prayer motion moved by Senator Rafui Ibrahim (APC Kwara South), the Senate set up a nine-man committee to look into all waivers, concessions and grants.
The committee, headed by Adamu Aliero (APC Kebbi Central), is charged with the responsibility of reviewing all such related policy to recover all government revenues and block leakages.
In his remark, the President of the Senate Bukola Saraki, said that the Ad hoc Committee was hinged on the determination of the new administration to cut revenue leakages.
Saraki said that there was an urgent need to protect the nation’s agriculture to ensure self sufficiency rather than relying on importation.
He expressed displeasure at the impunity with which people who owed government billions of naira continued to do businesses free as if “nothing will happen”.
“This too must stop; this is the first ad hoc committee that will be set up for this kind of thing and the committee will not stop until every penny is recovered,” he said.
He, therefore, charged members of the committee to be relentless in discharging their function.
Earlier, some senators who made contribution advocated complete removal of all waivers, concessions, and grants on all products and commodities that could be manufactured locally.
Senator Philip Aduda (PDP FCT), gave example with cement production in the country and said that for any local production to thrive, importation of such products must be stopped.
He argued that waivers should only be given on products that were required but not produced locally.
“There is an urgent need to review the granting of waivers, especially on finished goods, whatever is produced in Nigeria should not be granted waivers.
Senator …Read More
Source:: PM Newspaper
