The House of Representatives on Tuesday ordered the reversal of the order of the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, withdrawang some government agencies from the ports.
Okonjo-Iweala had on October 10, 2011 ordered the withdrawal of the National Agency for Food, Drugs, Administration and Control, the Standards Organisation and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency from the ports.
But on Tuesday, the House of Representatives said the order was wrong and thus reversed it.
It also told Okonjo-Iweala to desist from making further “unguided statements” on sensitive national issues.
The House made its position known following the submission of the report of the committee it set up to investigate the reasons for the withdrawal of the agencies from the ports.
The committee was headed by Hon. Ndudi Elumelu.
The House said the withdrawal of the agencies from the ports and borders has had negative effects and implications to the Nigerian citizens.
It therefore directed that the agencies should go back to their duty posts in the ports.
The House recommended: “That the minister of finance should be advised against making unguided statements on sensitive national issues since it was discovered that she did not seek the approval of Mr. President before making the statement as at October 10, 2011 when she announced the withdrawal of the National Agency for Food, Drug, Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and other agencies from the ports and borders.”
Hon. Uzor Azubuike, who drew the attention of the House to the development, said: “I sponsored the motion because it was alleged that the directive was targeted at allowing certain cabals get some things into the country unchecked. This has to be investigated by the House.”
Elumelu said: “As soon as they were doing this (withdrawing the agencies from the ports), it was reported that five containers filled with dangerous substances were imported from Brazil into the country.”