RIGHT OF REPLY:
Corruption and the pain of being a Nigerian physician. Written by Ahidjo Abdulkadiri Kawu is a Vicious Lie against Mr GAP Wakama my Custom Officer Brother. A rejoinder by Asonumaka George Wakama
"Mr Kayode Ogundamisi
there is always 2 sides to a story- i will advise you go the extent
of getting a balanced story before going to town...
The vilified Customs officer happens to be my eldest brother
as a public servant -he may not have that privilege to defend himself
especially in a paramilitary setting like his...
same doesn't apply to me....
i would wish to have my comments equally broadcast as you have done for the dear Doc...
i hope you would be this magnanimous?
Extracts
3. At the completion of my training, Dr Baron S Lonner on my behalf approached Samantha Torres of DePuy Spine Inc US for donation of spine equipment to help operate indigent patients in Nigeria to put to practice all I have learnt with him.
4. On the 15th December 2010, DePuy Spine Inc US approved the donation of some spine items for use by me at the University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada.
5. I contacted my hospital management who informed me to ship the equipment to Nigeria.
6. My clearing agent Siklaw Global Resource Ltd after completing the Form M and risk assessment paid the custom duty on the 6th march 2011.
7. The equipment was shipped in to Nigeria from the US and arrived in May 2011.
8. On arrival, the O/C (Officer in Charge) Custom Services Mr Wakama GAP inspected the document and said that we must settle him before he release the good since the donated equipment has a value of about N50 million.
For donated equipment- this isn’t my business though
1. The donors always donate to institutions and NGO’s in the case it would have been to the Teaching hospital not to the individual doctor- hence the passive role of the Teaching Hospital Management because the equipment are personal property of the Doctor.
2. Such donations are backed by appropriate paper work
3. Import duty waivers are not automatic you have to apply for them
4. The Donated Equipment never had such waivers nor support documentation
a) No waiver document from ministry of Finance, Presidency or a concessionary waiver from the office of the CG of customs and excise
b) Why pay duty for Donated Items?
“My clearing agent Siklaw Global Resource Ltd after completing the Form M and risk assessment paid the custom duty on the 6th march 2011
Form M is only completed by the authorized dealer bank of the importer but is approved by destination agency-
On arrival, the O/C (Officer in Charge) Custom Services Mr Wakama GAP inspected the document and said that we must settle him before he release the good since the donated equipment has a value of about N50 million.
1. Do you have any evidence of his demand to back your allegations?
2. How much did my brother demand from you as bribe?
3. Did you meet him or was there a go between who made the demand on his behalf?
4. What did you pay as customs duty?
5. The donated equipment have a value of N50million- how was that valuation arrived at
6. What was the value you presented for Assessment- we need that evidence
7. I believe import duties have rates and my understanding is that it was 5% – what did you pay
My Brother said.
The doctor declared the value of the equipment to be a paltry $500 ( five hundred dollars)
Upon his inspection of the documents he found out that they were worth well above $236,074,000 (Two hundred and thirty six thousand and seventy four dollars) as against the declared value of$500.00
Facts of the matter:
1. The Consignee imported some medical equipment – whose documentation showed discrepancies.
2. Upon query of discrepancies his Clearing agent absconded and the equipment where impounded.
3. The Equipment where examined by all relevant agencies who have their reports in place for scrutiny and there is no way my brother would demand bribe thereafter.
4. Granted the consignment where donated- the consignee never presented appropriate documentation to back this claim.
5. There are procedures in clearing goods of such nature –spelt out in the Customs& Excise act (CEMA)
6. I am sure as at the time of the examination we need to scrutinize if such qualify to pass as donations
7. Goods that Import Duty has been duly paid would be difficult to confiscate"
Asonumaka George Wakama
Is exempt from duty payment automatic?
ReplyDeleteI need answers to my questions from that Dr..whatever is your name .....
Why the deafening silence…? I am waiting for your response
Granted the equipment where “Donated”- which is debatable
1. Did you apply for duty waiver any supporting document to show that you did
2. Why did you opt to pay for Duty?
3. What did you declare as the full value of the duty…. FRAUDULENT claims
4. For a N50million worth of goods – what did you pay as duty?
5. What is a clearing agent doing forging form “M”………FORGERY
6. Why did your Clearing agent abscond when queried?.....his Innocence made him run I guess
QUESTIONS FOR DR KAWU
ReplyDelete(1) Were the equipment Donated to the University of Abuja Teaching hospital or to you as an individual?
(2) If the Teaching hospital were the recipient of the surgical equipment, how come they are not handling the matter on an interdepartmental level?
(3) If the answer to the first part of (1) is no, in what capacity did you receive the donations.
(4) Do you render free spinal services to your patients, if the answer is yes, can you show documented proof to that effect.
(5) Did you get a waiver to import the equipment, if yes can you publish it for all to see.
(6) If the answer to (5) is no, is Mr. Wakama GAP to be held responsible for your inability to obtain a waiver.
(7) Can you itemize the equipment?
Have you been notified that medical equipment attracts a duty of 5% comprising of cost, insurance and freight and that only VAT is waived.
(10) You stated that the customs officer valued your equipment at #50 million, what were the actual value and your own declaration at the customs.
(11) Is it true that you paid a sum of about #9,660 as duty on 8 cartons of medical equipment whose invoice encased within the equipment stated their actual price to be $230,074.
(12) Assuming we use just the cost of equipment valued at $230, 074 (#36,811,840) at
5% your duty should amount to $11,503.70 or #1,840,592. Excluding the cost of insurance and freight.
(13) Dr is it now obvious that Mr Wakama GAP QUERRIED YOU BECAUSE YOU TRIED TO SHORTCHANGE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA BY #1,830,932.
(9) Have you ever met the customs officer Mr Wakama GAP in person, If your answer is yes, CAN YOU STATE WHERE, WHEN or WHO saw the both of you together.
(10) Can you state the exact amount of money demanded by the customs officer and the person from whom such demand was made if not you.
(11) Does Mr Wakama deserve commendation or condemnation for insisting that you pay the correct amount of duty to the federal Republic of Nigeria.
(12) if a superior officer to Mr Wakama assured you that Mr Wakama acted in error, how come the goods were not released to you immediately.
(13) You claimed that the Nigeria customs service has apologized to you, Can you show evidence to that effect.
TO ALL THE FOLLOWERS OF THIS PATHETIC STORY, IT IS NOW OBVIOUS THAT WE ARE EITHER DEALING WITH A CASE OF ATTEMPTED EXTORTION OR A CASE OF OUTRIGHT FRAUD. THE ONUS OF PROOF IN THE CASE OF EXTORTION RESTS ON DR KAWU, UNFORTUNATELY HE ALONE CAN EXONERATE HIMSELF FROM BEING FRAUDULENT BY REVEALING DETAILS OF ACTUAL VALUE OF EQUIPMENT, AMOUNT DECLARED AT THE CUSTOMS AND ACTUAL AMOUT PAID AS DUTY. WE HOPE THE EFCC IS WATCHING
Are you saying that Customs Officers do not take bribe? How come they become rich within a years on the job? Clearing agents always bribe customs. It is an open secret in Nigeria.
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