The Federal Government will not retain private operators for destination inspection of goods for another five years, Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has said.
Okonjo-Iweala said at the 2013 Ministerial Platform in Abuja on Monday that government would continue to make effort to ensure that the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS) was effectively prepared to take over destination inspection of goods from private operators.
NCS was expected to take over destination inspection from private operators in June.
“On the destination inspection, we already took out an advert, there was an attempt to put out false information that the ministry of finance is trying not to allow Customs to take over the destination inspection.
“And we are planning to pick the destination Inspection people for another five years. This is simply false, misinformation, disingenuous, every D word that you can think about.
“And I want to tell you that this country must learn to manage its funds at the customs but we have to do it in a rational manner.“
She said that an independent review committee had recommended a six-month strategic handover period to avoid taking decisions that would affect commerce in the country.
“By the end of this year, they will manage everything, so, those who are trying to impugned the ministry of finance, am pushing back at them to say that it is false.’’
On checking state borrowing, she said that states could not borrow externally without a Federal Government guarantee.
She said that the Federal Government had also advised commercial banks to ensure that the laid down rules were followed in issuing out any loan to state governments.
“Every loan has to come through the ministry of finance and has to meet certain guidelines because you find out that sometimes states are able to borrow without coming through these checks and balances.“
Okonjo-Iweala said that government would continue to ensure polices to boost the economy of the nation and to ensure an all-inclusive growth in the country.
