The House of Representatives is to investigate irregularities in the remittance of a two per cent surcharge on the import of Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) by the Nigeria Customs Service and the Federal Ministry of Finance in line with the RMRDC (Amendment) Act.
The House asked the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Nigeria Customs Service to provide a detailed explanation of the methodology and criteria used in determining the two per cent import surcharge remittance and publish a transparent framework for calculating and implementing the surcharge.
In a resolution following a motion by Aliyu Mustapha Abdullahi, the House also urged the Federal Ministry of Finance to ensure accurate calculation and immediate remittance of all arrears of the two per cent surcharge to the RMRDC.
Moving the motion, Abdullahi said the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC) was established in 1987 under the Science and Technology Act, 2004 to reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported raw materials, adding that its primary mission is to promote research, development and the utilization of locally available raw materials to stimulate industrial growth and economic diversification.
According to him, the RMRDC Act was repealed and enacted in 2022, with the import surcharge increased from one to two per cent to adequately fund the Council’s operations and mandate.
He said the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Nigeria Customs Service, and the Budget Office are responsible for ensuring the accurate collection, remittance, and budgeting of the two per cent surcharge to enable the Council plan and execute its statutory obligations effectively, and expressed concern.
There are persistent irregularities in the calculation of the remittance of the two per cent import surcharge to RMRDC.
He said presently, “the Raw Material Research and Development Council is being paid a negligible amount of about 0.05%, of which sources cannot be defined, and the lack of transparency and accountability in the remittance process contravenes the intent and provisions of Section 12(1)(b) of the RMRDC Act, 2022.
“The irregularities or discrepancies and lack of clarity created in the disbursement of the fund arbitrarily void the provision of the law and have greatly hampered the development of the nation and continue to serve as a clog in the wheel of progress”.
