•Frown at MTN's Operations over years without payment of Customs Duty

The House of Representatives Committee on Publix Accounts Thursday was told how the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS accepted capital allowances claims by tax payers without certificate of acceptance from the ministry of trade and industries in 2019

The disclosure was made in the 2019 Auditor General of the Federation's queries to ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs of government

Speaking at the resumed hearing of the investigations on queries issued by the office of the Auditor General of the Federation against the Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs of the Federal Government, the Chairman of the committee Hon Oluwole Oluwole Oke lamented the level of external borrowings by the federal government saying that the committee's probe of public funds was aimed at curtailing revenue leakages to boost government treasury

This came against the backdrop of tax evasion by telecom service provider, MTN whose current assets stands at N2.68 trillion in the country, yet does not have proof of customs duty over the years

The lawmakers also decried the issuance of an assets certificate by the Ministry of Trade and investment to the telecommunication firm without first evaluating their assets

Following the failure of the MTN representative to tender the relevant documents to buttress his position that the company was up to date, the committee resolved to write the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS to furnish it with relevant documents including MTN duty permit so as to ascertain the total amount it owes government since 2001.

Hon Oke therefore directed the Clerk of the Committee to write to the Management of the Nigeria Customs Service on the financial indebtness ok f the firm to the federal government