ABUJA- The House of Representatives has threatened to sanction the Minister of Agriculture, Dr Akinwumi Adesina over failure to appear before its Ad hoc Committee investigating alleged fraud in the ministry.
Specifically, the committee is probing alleged evasion of payment of rice import duties and levies by importer and investors.
The Chairman of the committee and Deputy Leader of the House, Leo Ogor, made the threat at the public hearing in Abuja to uncover fraud in importation of rice.
In his address, Ogor said, “this hearing is sequel to a resolution of the House mandating the Ad hoc Committee to investigate alleged fraud abuses, evasion of import duties by rice importers.
“The aim is to uncover fraud and expose the endemic corruption in the importation of rice with a view to stemming the tide and boost employment generation as well as strengthen the nation’s depleting foreign reserve.
“The minister has no reason not to be here because the ministry was duly served the invitation.
“I see no reason why people would be invited to a hearing that’s for the benefit of the people and will not turn up.
“You are a servant of the people just like we all are,’’ he said.
According to Ogor, what we are doing here is for the benefit of our nation’s economy; so, before the end of the hearing, we are hoping to see people from the ministry.
He threatened that if the ministry’s officials failed to appear before the committee, it might be forced ‘’to make some very strong pronouncement.”
The administration of quota and duty payable on excess importation indicated that the minister gave certain concessions to some importers, who allegedly exceeded their quotas and did not pay liable indemnity.
The committee, therefore, questioned the powers of the minister to grant such waiver on the basis of encouraging investment and job creation.
According to it, the practice is discouraging local investors who don’t even have the capacity to utilise their allotted quoten done.