TheNewsGuru

Tag: Customs

  • Customs confiscate 140 imported snakes, 660 other animals

    Nigeria Customs Service on Wednesday intercepted three consignments containing 140 species of snakes and 660 other animals imported into Nigeria from Cameroon.

    The containers were brought in aboard a Cameroonian vessel, MV Flesh, through the Calabar waterways to the National Inland Waterways Authority jetty in Calabar, Cross River State.

    The other animals which were identified as geckos, millipedes, hairy frogs and spiders, were said to be worth about N6.9m.

    The Customs Area Comptroller in charge of Calabar Free Trade Zone – Cross River and Akwa Ibom commands – Mrs. Nanbyen Burromvyat, said the consignments were intercepted by vigilant officers on July 24, 2017.

    She said the consignments, which were Lagos-bound, were prohibited items under the Schedule 3 of the Revised Import Prohibition List (Trade) in the Common External Tariff.

    A packaging list of the items made available to our correspondent identified the species of snakes to include Atheris squamigera, Bitis gobanica, Dasypeltis ssp and Boiga pulverinata, while the geckos were Hemidactylus frenatus and Hemidactylus fasciatus.

    The millipede, hairy frogs and spiders were of the Architreptulus, Trichobatrachus robustus and Arachnidae species respectively.

    Without opening the containers to prevent the escape of the animals, Burromvyat handed over the items and the two suspects arrested to the authorities of the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Services for further investigation.

    She said, “These containers have animals of different sizes. They were brought in on July 24, 2017, through the Calabar waterways.

    “There is no permit to bring live animals into the country. We have seized and we are handing the animals over to the Nigerian Quarantine Services for further action.

    “I do not know what they want to do with them, but I think that the animals are dangerous because they include snakes, spiders, geckos and other creatures. We have enough snakes around Nigeria already.”

    The officer in charge of the Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Services in Cross River State, Mr. Sunday Ukut, said the animals would be properly scrutinised after which they might be destroyed.

    He said, “We will take them to the office and conduct further investigations. These animals came in without the necessary import papers and these are highly prohibited animals. So, we are going to carry out our own screening on them and possibly destroy them. They came in from Cameroon.”

    The suspect who allegedly brought in the consignments from Cameroon, Mr. Julius Novigana, said they were given to him by a friend to deliver to someone in Lagos.

    Novigana, a Cameroonian agent, claimed that he did not know what were in the three containers, adding that his friend only asked him to deliver the consignments to an unidentified person in Lagos.

    “A friend gave them to me in Cameroon to deliver to someone in Lagos. I only have the man’s number in Lagos. I have called him and he said he would send someone to pick them from me in Calabar,” he said.

    The Captain of the vessel that brought the consignment, Victor Agbor, also a Cameroonian, said he did not spot the containers when he was about leaving his country.

    “I did not see these containers on the vessel when I left Cameroon. The name of my vessel is MV Flesh and we bring in passengers and general cargo from Cameroon to Nigeria.

    “I never saw these containers on board before leaving.

    “I was informed in Nigeria that there were some containers without manifestoes in the vessel. I do not have any idea about them,” he said.

  • Customs CG, Hamid Ali orders removal of illegal checkpoints

    The Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, Col. Hamid Ali, has ordered the dismantling of all checkpoints mounted outside 40 kilometres to the border.

    The CG also ordered the removal of checkpoints within the Port areas. Ali’s order is in compliance with Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo directives on ease of doing business in Nigeria.

    Ali asked all customs comptrollers to ensure that information patrols outside borders should not last more than 24 hours.

    He said all Zonal Coordinators, Comptrollers FOUs, CACs, CIU, and other units will be jointly held responsible for flouting the directive.

    These directives were contained in Circular No 10/2017, which was dated July 25, 2017, and made available to newsmen.

    The circular, titled “Removal of all illegal check-points across the country,” was signed by the Acting Deputy Comptroller-General (E, I and I), Mr. A. A. Dangaladima.

    The letter said: “Reference to the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) Letter No: PEBEC/EBES/SSAITIOVP/TWN/03 of 18th July 2017 on the above subject-matter, a copy of which is herewith attached.

    “ I am directed to convey CGC’s directive to all the Commands and Units to ensure immediate implementation.

    “For avoidance of doubt, it is hereby emphasized that check-points mounted outside forty (40) kilometers to the border are illegal, while information patrols outside this point should not last more than twenty four (24) hours at any given time.

    “The forty (40) kilometres radius applies only to the borders and consequently there should be no check-points within the Port Areas.

    “To further clarify these issues, it should be reminded strongly, that only two (2) check-points situated at AGBARA and GBAJI along Lagos- Badagry- Seme road are statutorily approved, for instance.

    “Henceforth, Zonal Coordinators, Comptrollers FOUs, CACs, CIU and other Units will be jointly held responsible for flouting the directive.

    “ Ensure widest circulation for strict compliance please.”

    According to findings, the CG of Customs announced the new steps following an advisory from the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC).

    The advisory, which was titled “Ease of doing business reform intervention: trading within Nigeria,” asked the Customs service to comply with the presidential mandate on or before August 11.

    The advisory, dated July 18, was signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Industry, Trade and Investment(Office of the Vice President)/PEBEC Secretary, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole.

    The letter said: “Further to the mandate of the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC) of the scoping of reform initiatives to be implemented under the new reform area, trading within Nigeria, the technical committee of the Enabling Business Environment Secretariat (EBES), and key ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) including the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), have commenced weekly engagements for the implementation of these mandate.

    “ From the ongoing scoping exercise of the Technical Committee, the following reform initiatives have been identified and agreed as short term reforms to be implemented by the NCS before Friday August 11, 2017:

    • Issuance of directive to all customs command across Nigeria to ensure removal of all check-points across Nigeria.
    • Enforcement of compliance of the above directive.
    • Creation of awareness on the approved NCS check points across Nigeria through publication on the NCS command office.

    “Please be informed that NCS will be required to provide a status update to the council on the implementation of the above, stated initiatives at the next PEBEC meeting holding on August 15th, 2017.

    “We are grateful for your continued support to EBES as we implement the council mandate. Please accept the assurance of His Excellency, the acting President’s best regards.”

     

  • Smuggling stifling economy, indigenous industries – Customs

    The Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (retd), on Monday said smuggling was stifling indigenous factories but was not seen a crime by Nigerians.

    Ali said this in Abuja at an investigative hearing organised by the House of Representatives on the alleged killing, diversion of seized goods and other atrocities by officials of the Nigerian Customs Service across the country.

    Ali, who was represented by Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs, Haruna Mahmud, said that frequent attacks on Customs officials by smugglers was hampering the fight against smuggling.

    According to him, the agency was not given arms to kill innocent people but to protect attacks on our personnel by the smugglers.

    Ali expressed worry that some border communities attacked officials of NCS for intercepting smugglers, “Nigerians don’t see smuggling as an economic crime, rather the border communities see it as a right.

    “It is a collective responsibility to fight this scourge because smuggling has succeeded in killing our factories and this has led to unemployment in the country.’’

    On alleged diversion, he said that the Service did not divert seized goods, adding that the agency “don’t also raid markets, but we follow smuggled items to their locations’’.

    On his part, Mr Lucky Aminwero, National President of the National Council of Licensed Custom Agents, said that 70 per cent of indigenous industries were no longer functioning because of the activities of smugglers.

    According to him, deaths recorded in the past would have been avoided if Customs officials were allowed to do their jobs.

    Aminwero said that there was need for the public to be sensitized to understand the consequences of smuggling on the economy.

    On his part, the representative of Nigerian Association of Nigerian Traders, Mr Nwiabu Nuka, said that Customs should not hide under section 147 of the Custom Laws to perpetrate crime in the society.

    “Customs seize goods and we still find the goods in the market,’’ Nuka said.

    He called for a review the laws to check corrupt practices in the agency.

    “Corruption is the major cause of the problem between the smugglers and the officials of the Custom Service,’’ he added.

    A House of Representatives member, Rep. Johnbull Shekarau, called for due diligence in prosecuting smugglers arrested by officials of the Nigerian Customs Service.

    It would be recalled that traders in Sango Ota Market in Ogun protested against alleged invasion of the market by Customs officials from the Federal Operation Unit (FOU), Ikeja.

    The traders accused the officers of breaking into shops in the raid carried out at about 12 a.m, alleging that the officials destroyed the safes they had in their shops and removed money.

     

     

    NAN

  • Customs arrest dismissed officer caught with N8m worth marijuana

    Customs arrest dismissed officer caught with N8m worth marijuana

    The Seme area command of the Nigeria Customs Service over the weekend arrested a dismissed officer of the service caught with 391kilogramms of Cannabis sativa, also known as Marijuana with worth over N8million Naira.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that the command intensified its anti-smuggling operations against trans-border crimes of illicit drugs trafficking and other vices following a tip-off by residents in the area.

    The Customs Area Controller, Compt. Mohammed Aliyu while handing over the dismissed officer disclosed that a lot of strategies have been adopted by the command to ensure that the busiest land border will be a “no go” area for trans-border miscreants/traffickers of any kind including small and light weapons.

    Aliyu explained that all necessary conditions were explored in line with the public service rule and the Customs and Excise Preventive Service Regulation before the officer was relieved of his appointment.

    The command boss reiterated that the punitive measures for gross misconduct of unruly behaviour meted on the dismissed officer is to serve as a deterrent to other bad eggs in the service that may choose to be recalcitrant to warnings.

    He frowned at the alarming and disturbing rate at which illicit substances are being apprehended by officers and men of the command in an attempt to be smuggled through the waterways or land borders.

    He reiterated that the leadership of the service will not shy away in purging it from all unscrupulous elements who delight in dragging the image of the service in the mud; hence portraying the service subservient to other organisations because of criminal and irresponsible acts that are inimical to the ideals of the service.

    He affirmed that Seme Command will continue to protect the nation’s territorial integrity through the scanning of all imports and aggressive anti-smuggling operations of all illegal routes.

    He stated that this measure must be taken because there is a lot of security threat and opportunities arising from international trade growth and global migration.

    In a related development, the command’s Controller also sought the cooperation of all the stakeholders in the host communities with a view to protecting the border town against crimes and criminals.

  • Fast Track operation runs into hitch over alleged extortion by Customs officers

    The newly designed 24 hours clearance of consignments under the fast track scheme at the nation’s ports has run into an early hitch over alleged extortion of operators by Customs officers.

    This major setbacks at the seaports in Lagos, followed alleged frustration by officers and men of the Nigeria Customs Service on escort rosters.

    Operators lament allege extortion by Customs officers over cargo escort from ports

    Operators lament that the 24 hours port operations would be impossible to attain if the practice persist stressing the need for customs officials on escort duty to be present for fast track consignments to exit the port timely.

    The operators are alleging that customs officials demand monies from shippers and freight agents before attempting to escort consignments out of the ports.

    Fast track, otherwise known as customs fast delivery, is the process whereby consignments belonging to multinational companies are allowed to exit the ports without examination until the items get to their warehouses.

    The essence of fast track is to avoid congestion at the port and to also aid speedy clearance of goods.

    The process also deals with high volume of consignments owned by multinationals and are usually routed on the green lanes at the ports and customs escorts are required to accompany the goods to the required destination.

    Confirming the development to our correspondent in Lagos, yesterday, Chief Boniface Okoye, Chairman and Managing Director, Bonntex Logistics Integrated Global Limited, lamented that the attitude of customs officials designated for escort has truncated trade facilitation overtime.

    Okoye alleged that the process to assign escort to fast track consignments has become cumbersome leading to extra charges at the expense of the shippers.

    According to him, the escort officials determine the exit of the consignments, saying that they (escorts) decide when, and time, to discharge their responsibilities.

    Mr Okoye, who is a member of National Council of Managing Director Licensed Customs Agents, (NCMDLCA), called on the Controller General of the service to alleviate the plights of shippers and freight agents, because the delays experienced, lead to additional cost of doing business in Nigerian seaports.

    He alleged that the customs collect N1000 per container adding that most consignments under fast track are always in high volumes.

    “If you want to clear about 30 containers at a stretch under fast track, the customs will charge N1000 each before they will decide on the date to storm the port”

    “The customs are not organise in their operations because as it is, the Post Audit, Federal Operations Units and Customs Intelligent Units (CIU) are not harmonised in their line of duties,” he added.

    “We are calling on the Customs Comptroller General to intervene and address this issue once and for all”

    The freight agents noted that 24 hours ports operations and that of customs e-clearance operations of goods from the port would be unachievable if its personnel continue to take their responsibilities for granted.

    Similarly, an importer who prefer anonymity disclosed that the nonchalant attitude of the customs indirectly affect production of the multinational companies.

    According to him, some raw materials stay in the ports for a long time due to the absence of customs officials who should accompanied the consignments to their respective warehouses.

    (more…)

  • Comply with port rules to avoid seizure, customs boss tells users

    The Customs Area Controller, Apapa Command, Comptroller Umar Jibrin, has urged all port users to comply with cargo clearance procedures to avoid seizure.

    Jibrin made the plea in an interview with the newsmen in Lagos.

    He said that smooth flow of cargoes would transform Nigerian ports to be the preferred cargo destination in the sub-region.

    He said that the NCS would not relent in its efforts to continue to engage in 100 per cent examination of cargoes to stop unwanted goods from coming into the country.

    “I am calling on all users of Apapa Port to please remain compliant.

    “We are operating within an international economic system and we have to measure up to standard.

    “As long as we want to do business with the global business community, we have no choice but to be disciplined on goods we import and export from the country.

    “Importers should make sure that they always include in the manifest what they are about importing,“ Jibrin said.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that the Apapa Command of the NCS on June 14 intercepted seven 40ft containers of pharmaceutical products over false declaration.

    On Jan. 31, the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) of the service intercepted 661 pump action rifles, while on May 23, the Tin-Can Island Command of the NCS also intercepted 440 rifles.

  • Customs, Rice farmers sign MoU to end smuggling

    The Nigeria Customs Service and the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to stop rice smuggling through the land border into the country.

    Alhaji Aminu Goronyo, President Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), disclosed this on Wednesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

    He said even though the importation of rice through the land borders was banned since April 2016 with an extension to the restriction of rice into the Nigerian market from the Export Processing Zones (EPZ), yet smugglers still engaged in the unwholesome act.

    Goronyo warned Nigerians against the consumption of foreign rice, saying that most of the imported rice is stale and only meant for animal and fish feeds.

    He said the result of the test by NAFDAC through some samples of some of the rice seizures had ascertained that smuggled rice through the land borders was unfit for human consumption.

    “99 per cent of rice smuggled through the land borders are not fit for human consumption,” he said.

    Goronyo said that the Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hameed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd), reiterated recently at a joint meeting with RIFAN and Customs that rice importation remains banned through the land borders.

    The RIFAN President said to ensure effective monitoring of the land borders, the Comptroller-General has approved a 12-man implementation committee to be headed by Assistant Comptroller-General, Alino Dangaladima.

    He said Customs promised to continue to ensure the restriction of rice import through the land borders to boost local production.

    He said that the Comptroller-General agreed that there was need for total ban on rice importation and effective monitoring of the land borders to stop the activities of the smugglers.

    The RIFAN president added that the customs boss reinstated that any attempt to import rice through the land borders would be resisted, saying the position remains unchanged.

    He said the customs told them that it had deployed more officers and men to borders to enforce the order.

    According to him, customs had also re-organised its anti-smuggling patrols to provide additional capability, to enforce the ban of rice import through the land borders.

    Goronyo said that the committee would be replicated at the state level to be headed by all state chairmen of RIFAN and its members would serve in the committee to be headed by the state comptroller of customs.

    He said the enforcement has become imperative because the ongoing Rice Revolution undertaken by many state governments, and Strategic Interventions by the Federal Government Agencies was a step toward self sufficiency.

    According to Goronyo, if adequate measure is not taken to stop the activities of the smugglers, it would have adverse effects on the bumper harvests expected from the rice revolution.

    The RIFAN President commended the customs officials for taking the giant stride to reinstate the confidence of the RIFAN and assuring the farmers of adequate markets for their products.

    He said that the rice that is coming into the country was very huge and not quantifiable, but because Nigeria has a big market one could not see the effect immediately, but gradually the local production would suffer for it.

    Goronyo said that the annual rice production in Nigeria has increased from 5.5 million tonnes in 2015 to 5.8 million tonnes in 2017.

    He said that in 2015, Nigerians spent not less than N1 billion daily on rice consumption, adding that while spending had drastically reduced, consumption had increased because of increased local production of the commodity.

    “The consumption rate now is 7.9 million tonnes, while the production rate is 5.8 tonnes per annum,’’ he said.

  • Customs generates over N239.4bn in Q1 2017

    The Nigerian Customs Service, NCS, generated a total sum of N239.4bn in the first three months of this year, figures obtained from the Federal Ministry of Finance have revealed.

    The amount is contained in a document obtained by the newsmen on Monday in Abuja, showing the activities of the ministry of finance in the last two years.

    The NCS, according to the document, stated that its revenue performance for the first quarter of this year exceeded its target of N193.2bn.

    This, the service added, was achieved through a reform programme aimed at restructuring the agency, re-orientation of its officers, removing defects and adopting simplified procedures in its activities.

    “The NCS collected N904.07bn in 2015 against a target of N944.4bn; the total collection in 2016 was N898.67bn against the target amount of N973.3bn.

    “Between January and March 2017,the NCS was able to generate N239.4b, thereby exceeding the target of N193.22bn set for the period,” it said.

    The service also said it had complied with a Presidential directive to deliver all seized perishable goods to the Internally Displaced Persons affected by the insurgency in Borno, Yobe, Adamawa and Benin camps.

    It said the reforms embarked upon by the government has started yielding results as there is a strict compliance with rules governing the operations of the NCS, adding that a standard operating procedure has been developed to ensure transparency and accountability.

    The service also said it has strengthened international engagements with the World Customs Organisation and the World Trade Organisation for trade facilitation and optimum revenue collection.

    It added that a compliance team has been set up to ensure conformity with trade regulations adding that this would help to block all illegal routes for smuggling.

     

     

    NAN

  • Executive Orders: Customs demand manifest 7 days before arrival of vessels

    Sequel to Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo’s Executive Orders mandating a 24 hours operations in and around the ports, the Nigeria Customs Service has insisted that advanced cargo manifest by shipping line agencies must be submitted to it 7 days before the arrival of the vessel to the nation’s seaport.

    Besides, the executive order on port 24 hours port operations also directed that import documents be reduced from 14 to 8 while that of export has been reduced from 10 to 7.

    TheNewsGuru.com recalls that the acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, had on Thursday, May 18 signed three far-reaching executive orders expected to ease business, fast-track budget submission and promote made in Nigeria products.

    Speaking at a town hall meeting organised by journalists under the aegis of Association of Maritime Journalists of Nigeria (AMJON), Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Col. Hammed Ali (rtd) stated that the advance cargo manifest would enable the risk management profiled and separated on time before ship arrival.

    In his words: “In order to achieve greater service delivery at the ports, there was the need to streamline the current import and export guidelines procedures.

    Ali reiterated that “to achieve greater service delivery at our ports the department of home finance of the Federal Ministry of Finance revised Nigeria’s import and export guidelines streamlining the current procedures”

    The new guidelines according to the Customs boss, would focus on some of the issues causing inefficiency and delay at the ports.

    Ali who was represented by the Customs Area Controller, Ports and Terminal multiservices Limited (PTML) Command of the service, Comptroller Aremu Morenike explained that some of the new guidelines would impact directly on the operations of officers and men at the ports.

    Harping on the actualisation of 24hours ports operation, the customs boss maintained that the service is positioned to implement the executive order saying that the impediment to the attainment remains the integrity and compliance of the trading public in ensuring proper documentation and honest declaration.

    He noted that the service remains the lead agency in cargo examination at the ports adding that under the new guidelines, cargo placement notice time for examination required by terminal operators would be reduced from the proposed 24 hours to a maximum 12 hours.

    Ali further re-echoed that revised guideline requires the shipping lines to electronically transit advanced manifest to their consignments to the customs and Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) as soon as the vessel depart its last port of call,pointing out that such practices would promote risk management,profiling and cargo placement for examination.

    “in line with World Bank recommendation,the Federal Ministry of Finance has directed that the import document be reduced from 14 to 8 and export is from 10 to 7”

    “The Nigeria customs service now has the responsibility to coordinate the mandatory joint examination and sign off from to ensure that the interface between the trading public and the several regulatory agencies are reduced to the barest minimum”

    “The Nigeria Customs Service joined other Ministries,Department Agencies (MDA’s) in making commitment towards the transformation of the business landscape in Nigeria as we focus on improving the Nigeria ranking in which we stood at 182 Trade Across Border particularly in the reduction of import and export time by up to 50% through strict adherence to international standard and practice”

    There is no doubt that the Nigeria Customs Service has a pivotal role to play in our collective bid to entrench a more business friendly environment in Nigeria.

    He added that the service has moved from manual long room procedures to automated ASYCUDA++ platform which supported the following electronic quintessential innovation and adaptation that have contributed tremendously to trade facilitation.

     

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that as part of concrete efforts to ensure the implementation of the Executive Orders on the 24 hours operation mode, the NCS recently adopted a shift work schedule by its officials in and around the port.

     

  • 2017 Budget: FG tasks FIRS, Customs on improved revenue generation

    The Federal Government has challenged its revenue generation agencies, particular the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS and Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, on meeting up with their targets in other to generate adequate funds to implement the 2017 budget.

    This was revealed by the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma.

    TheNewsGuru.com reports that President Muhammadu Buhari last year presented a proposal of N7.298 trillion for the 2017 budget, which is a 20.4% increase over the 2016 estimate.

    The Minister explained that in spite of criticisms about government borrowings, the country’s fiscal deficit is still well within the three per cent (3%) limit and government is keeping very tight control on the size of the budget to make sure the fiscal deficit remains within the 3% threshold.

    The Minister who was speaking at the 2017 breakdown session said although certain developments affected the realization of projected government revenue last year, the administration is working hard to ensure increase in revenues to fund the 2017 budget.

    “In terms of implementation of the Budget, we are making strenuous efforts to find the resources required. We are challenging our revenue generating agencies, particularly the (Federal Inland Revenue Service) FIRS and Customs, to improve their efficiencies and broaden their reach so as to achieve the targets set for them in the 2017 Budget”, he explained.

    He added that government will strive to maximize the revenues it can generate from the oil and gas sector as it is clear that the foreign exchange generated from the sector is critical for government’s plans to diversify to the non-oil sectors.

    As government is introducing measures to improve on the efficiencies in that sector to increase Government’s take, the Minister said “we are also engaging more extensively with the communities and people of the Niger Delta to minimize disruptions to oil production”.

    Reviewing the 2016 Budget performance, Senator Udoma said there was reasonable progress on implementation and achievement of set targets even though aggregate revenues was less than projections, mainly due to disruptions in oil production in the Niger Delta region.

    The developments in the oil sector, according to him, adversely impacted oil revenues and foreign exchange receipts, and also negatively affected non-oil revenues as non-oil activities are critically dependent on the foreign exchange generated by the oil sector.

    “As at year-end, FGN’s 2016 actual revenue was N2.95 trillion (76.4% of the N3.85 trillion budgeted). Oil revenue was N697.8 billion (97.2% of budget); Company Income Tax (CIT) and Value Added Tax (VAT) collections were N457.91 billion and 108.72 billion respectively, representing 52.8% and 54.8% of amounts budgeted; while Customs collections of N247.42 billion implied a 63.6% performance, he explained.

    Despite the shortfall in revenue, he said government met its debt service obligations and personnel costs while overhead costs were largely covered.

    He pointed out that although capital expenditure suffered because key recurrent spending like debt service and payment of salaries had to be met first, the amount of N1.22 trillion released for capital under the 2016 budget remains the highest aggregate capital releases for a single fiscal year for Nigeria. “This was achieved despite the lower oil prices and revenue shortfalls, which underscores the government’s commitment to investing in critical infrastructure”, he noted.

    The Minister explained that in designing the 2017 Budget, certain critical international factors that affect Nigeria as a country were considered, including the protracted period of lower oil prices, major macroeconomic realignments in China, increasing divergence in monetary policy in major economies, uncertain economic, political and institutional implications of BREXIT, weak demand in advanced economies and its spill-over effects; and geopolitical tensions in several countries.

    On the domestic front also, the budget had to be designed at a critical time when the economy was experiencing contraction in growth (-2.06% in Q1 2016, now -0.52% in Q1 2017), insurgency and Insecurity parts of the North East, crude oil theft and pipeline vandalisation, foreign Exchange (FX) scarcity and Exchange rate tension.

    External reserves were down to US$26.59 billion in May 2016 but now about US$30.28 billion, high Unemployment rate (from 13.9% as at Q3 2016 to 14.2% in Q4 2016), and inflation (18.55% as at December 2016, 16.25% as at May 2017), he added.

    The Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), which was launched early this year, is meant to address these economic challenges. The Minister pointed out that although the 2017 Budget was prepared before the finalisation of the ERGP, it drew extensively from the policies set out in the ERGP.

    He explained that the 2017 Budget reflects “our fiscal plan to restore the economy to the path of sustainable and inclusive growth, the specific goals and targets of which are set out in the 2017 – 2020 Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP)”.

    The Minister said the 2017 Budget is an infrastructure Budget and government takes transportation very seriously, which is why so much has been voted for roads and railways.

    He also said ease of doing business is very critical to government because it wants to turn the country from a nation of importers to a nation of producers.

    Reflecting on the late passage of the last two national budgets, the Minister said in the months ahead, the Executive will work with the National Assembly to ensure that Nigeria returns to a predictable January – December fiscal year, with the budget signed into law ahead of the commencement of the fiscal year in the near future.

    Also speaking at the event, the Director General of the Budget Office, Mr Ben Akabueze, said government is determined to bridge the gap between citizens and government by the measures being taken to promote greater transparency and accountability in the entire budget framework. “Our membership of the Open Government Partnership (OGP) has strengthened our resolve to enhance stronger citizen engagement and improved public service delivery”.

    Akabueze disclosed that the Budget Office is implementing a Citizen’s Portal on its website to enhance citizens’ participation across the entire budget cycle. In addition, a dedicated hotline for citizens with queries or questions on the budget is also being activated.