The House of Representatives is set to investigate the alleged $9billion import waivers the Federal Government granted some individuals and organisations between 2011 and 2013.

Saturday PUNCH learnt that the House Committee on Finance took the decision after members studied the reply of the Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, to the 50 questions on the state of the economy, which the committee handed to her in December last year.

The committee, which is headed by Dr. Abdulmumini Jibrin, and the minister have been at loggerheads lately over the economic policies of government.

One of the 50 questions dealt with the issue of import duty exemptions, where the committee sought to know the exact amount Nigeria had lost to waivers since the minister assumed duties.

The question read, “How much exactly has been the amount of money lost in government revenue as a result of import duty waivers in 2011, 2012 and 2013?”

However, in her response to the question on Wednesday, Okonjo-Iweala had said that

the country lost N170.7billion (or$1,067bn) to waivers between 2011 and 2013.

Findings showed that committee members felt she was economical with the truth after reading through her reply.

One committee source said, “This issue of waivers, the committee will take it up seriously with the minister.

“As a matter of fact, the committee will go for a public hearing on waivers.

“We are extending it to a hearing on the state of the Nigerian economy generally.