By Josephine W. Lagawo
The Public Account Committee of Parliament (PAC) has revealed that the Company producing passports in the country has been acting unlawfully since 2023.
The Committee picked up that Netpage contract had expired since 2023 but that they are still producing passport which they are not supposed to be doing without taking the agreement back to Parliament.
That the Auditor’s General picked out that in the agreement between Netpage and Immigration department, Netage should pay some amount of money
That according to the auditors, government should receive 8% royalty but that while Netpage and other people are benefiting from the agreement, they are refusing to pay to government.
In an interview with the Chairman of PAC, Hon Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, he pointed out that the drafters of the constitution were very cleaver as it is difficult for them to assess an agreement for which payment needs to be made to government.
That what parliament needs to do is to inquire and to ascertain if an agent of government gave tax break to Netpage without bringing it to Parliament.
That it is an issue because nobody is expected to give tax break or waiver or anything to anybody without bringing it to Parliament.
He explained that whatever intention they have on the royalty, it is parliament that should give the seal of approval, noting that the agreement was not brought to parliament, so there is no basis for them as parliamentarian to hold Netpage accountable.
He told the Immigration Department to sit with Netpage so that the country can get something out of it as there cannot be total waiver, noting that they expect both parties to return to the committee in two weeks so that as government they can get something out of the passport.
Hon Conteh said that the agreement was brought in February 2013 by Late Joseph Bandabla Dauda but has expired since 2023
“The agreement was US$ 100. There is need to bring the addendum of the agreement to parliament for ratification because the initial agreement was for ten years and it has expired since December 2023,” he stated.
He said that it is now left with the Immigration Department, the Ministry of Internal Affairs to prepare another agreement and take it to cabinet before bringing it to parliament, pointing out that they should ensure that the new agreement capture royalty, and other fees so that government can get something out of the passport .
The Chairman said there ruling is for Netpage and Immigration to sit together to pay certain amount of money to government.
