By Tordue Salem

ABUJA—House of Representatives has called on the Presidency not to make fresh withdrawals from the National Automotive Council (NAC), Sugar Levy Account  and other accounts at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The warning is contained in the recommendations of the 17-member Joint House Committee on Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Water Resources on ‘revitalizing the textile industry in Nigeria’ which will soon be considered by the House.

The House Committee on Industry led by Solomon Agidani had at its oversight  recalled unauthorised withdrawals from the NAC to the tune of N10 billion by the last administration.

The lawmakers also urged relevant agencies of government to bring the fiscal policy guidelines for year 2010 at least two months before the presentation of the national budget; stop the use of unauthorized withdrawals from special fund accounts of the Federal Government like NAC levy account and sugar levy account held by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

From the amount, Aminu Jalal, NAC Director- General explained that N3.83 billion was diverted from the Council’s account between 2006 and 2007 by the Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration to provide vehicle loan scheme for the military and para-military outfits.

Agidani revealed that the committee would soon convene a stakeholders’ summit over the huge shortfall in the vehicle levy being collected by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on behalf of the council.
Agani said he was displeased by the development, as the fund was statutorily earmarked for the development of the automotive industry in the country.

“The National Automotive Council is losing a lot of money over the gross inability of the appropriate agencies to provide accurate figure that would lead to adequate collection of the vehicle levy. We want to use the summit to put a stop to it”, he said.

According to him, over 50 percent of the automobile levy was not received while only 25 percent of the levy on lorries has so far been collected.

The joint committee urged the House to make a proviso in the 2010 budget for the establishment of textile development fund, rather than waiting for the Presidency to do same.