Lawmakers deplore persistent shunning of  parliamentary invitations by MDAs chief executives

.As House joint c’ttee probes non-payment of 10% freight levies to NEPC by NIMASA

Jonas Ezieke, Abuja

The House of Representatives has deplored the persistent shining of parliamentary invitations by ministers and other chief executive officers of government agencies and has vowed to activate measures to ensure compliance

This is as the House Joint Committee on Maritime Administration, Education and Safety Agency and Legislative Compliance have commenced investigations into the non-payment of 10 percent freight levies to the Nigerian  Export Promotion Council NEPC by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA.

Speaker of the House Rt.Hon.Abbas Tajudeen expressed the House displeasure over the persistent shunning of  invitations by ministers and other heads of government agencies at a public hearing on Monday at the National Assembly Abuja

Represented by the House Leader Hon.Prof.Julius Ihonvbere, the speaker said that the penchant by ministries and agencies of the federal government to avoid invitations extended to them by the House Committees is very embarrassing.

He noted with dismay the absence of the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy Mr Gboyega Oyetota, the Director-General Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA Dayo Mobereola and other heads of agencies at the hearing.

He regretted the absence of the invited officials who are the chief executive officers of these ministries and agencies adding that it does not speak well of them and assured that the House leadership will activate measures to ensure compliance to its invitations.

Meanwhile, the House Joint Committee Chairman Hon.Ahmed Munir has called for greater collaboration of the ministries and agencies of the federal government in the discharge of their respective mandates.

He stated that the essence of the public hearing is to find solution to the issue of non-payment of 10 percent freight levies to the Nigeria Export Promotion Council NEPC by the Nigeria Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA.

In a presentation, the Chief Executive Officer of the NEPC Ms Nonye Ayeni stated that  NEPC was established by Decree 26 of 1979 to ensure the promotion of exportable commodities to other countries

She further hinted that by the provisions of the enabling laws, the NIMASA is supposed to pay 10% of its freight levies to the agency but it had defaulted over the years

Also in a presentation before the House panel, Director-General of NIMASA Mr Dayo Mobereola represented by Mr Chudi Ofordile said that there is no provision of the NIMASA establishment Act that approves the payment of 10% freight levies to the Nigeria Export Promotion Council NEPC.

He insisted that there is no mention of the NEPC in the Act that established the agency adding that there is no provision in the law for the agency to pay the levies.

The House Committee chairman Hon.Munir in his intervention said that all government agencies must find ways to work collaboratively.

The Kaduna born lawmaker enjoined the two agencies to go back and properly look into the Act establishing these agencies adding what they should do is to look at what is in the best interest of the country.