The House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee set up to probe tax deductions from the accounts of civil and public servants, along with other bank customers, on Tuesday, condemned commercial banks for imposing unjustified charges on customers’ earnings without making the required remittances.
The Chairman of the House Ad-hoc Committee, Kelechi Nwogu, at the start of the investigation, charged commercial banks with engaging in illegal practices by deducting unclear charges from customers’ accounts.
Nwogu emphasized that the panel is committed to ensuring all bank charges or deductions on customers’ accounts are properly applied and correctly assessed.
He stated that the House panel would thoroughly investigate to establish why commercial banks have been making questionable deductions from their customers’ accounts.
“Commercial banks are perpetrating illegality by deducting inexplicable charges from civil servants, public servants, and other customers’ bank accounts without remittances,” he stated.
The Ad-hoc Committee chairman reiterated dedication to shielding Nigerians from unlawful charges, noting that the Committee had invited the Ministry of Finance.
He added that they would collaborate with the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and commercial banks in Nigeria as part of the probe.
Nwogu, after rejecting the proxies sent by the CEOs of Guarantee Trust, Zenith, and Access Banks, among others, maintained that the CEOs are required to appear personally before the panel.
He said, “You cannot appear here without an identity. We are not here on our own. We are here on the mandate of the people who elected us into parliament.
“We have resolved to meet next week on Wednesday. You must submit all requested documents on or before Monday.
“We will go through all the documents, and we will put you on oath”.
The Committee, however, issued a four-day deadline for all banks concerned to provide the documents needed for the inquiry, adding that any bank that fails to comply with the directive within the stipulated time will face sanctions.
