The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, on Sunday, denied claims in some quarters that she had refused to grant import duty waivers on drugs, health commodities and related equipment donated by the Global Fund.
In a statement signed by the Director of Information in the ministry, Mr. Salisu Dambatta, the minister said claims by some importers and non-governmental organisations that she denied them waivers on drugs and health commodities imported into the country were untrue.
She said in granting import duty waivers, the ministry followed statutory procedures.
This, she said, was part of measures to check the abuse of the Federal Government’s fiscal incentives and halt rampart corrupt practices in the economic sector.
She gave some of the procedures as submission of an application by the importer and the NGO to the Finance ministry through the Federal Ministry of Health; evidence of registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission; and submission of an approved Memorandum of Understanding duly signed by the Minister of State for Budget and National Planning.
Others are presentation of a certificate of exemption from tax from the Federal Inland Revenue Service (only for those who engage in non-profit making activities in line with their objectives); submission of a pro forma invoice indicating the value of the imported items and bill of lading; and if the imported items are donated, the NGOs are required to provide the Ministry of Finance with authenticated letters from the donor agencies.
