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The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo- Iweala, yesterday said no exemption of duties was granted on the N255m armoured vehicles purchased for the Aviation Minister, Princess Stella Oduah, by the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA.
“It is also important to clarify that the waiver granted to the Lagos State government for the event did not include the purchase of armoured vehicles,” Okonjo-Iweala stated in statement made available to journalists yesterday.
The Minister of Finance, in response to media reports which claimed that the Federal Ministry of Finance granted a waiver to Coscharis Motors Nigeria Ltd for the purchase of the armoured cars, insisted that the claims were totally false and lacked foundation.
She explained that contrary to the misrepresentation of the facts, only the vehicles imported by the Lagos State Government for the National Sports Festival (EKO 2012) was granted a waiver since the requirements for such fiscal relief were met by the state government.
The minister said: “On June 23, 2012, the Lagos State government applied for waiver of destination inspection charges and duty exemptions for Coscharis Motors Nigeria Ltd, the official automobile partner for the National Sports Festival (EKO 2012), to purchase 300 vehicles on its behalf for the event.
“Since the Lagos State government met the laid down criteria, the waiver was granted.”