Customs

Disquiet in Customs over delayed promotion of senior officers into management team —–delay due to non-sitting of Customs board—Attah

Exclusive by Eyewitness reporter

The lack of enthusiasm of the Comptroller-General of Customs(CGC), Col. Hameed Ali(rtd) to fill the vacant positions in the management team of the Service, is currently causing heightened anxiety among the top echelon of the para-military agency.

Investigations revealed that the appointment of some of the Assistant/Deputy Comptroller Generals is said to have been delayed primarily due to the inability of the Customs board to convene a formal meeting to deliberate and take decisions on the existing positions.

The Customs Spokesman, Deputy Comptroller Joseph Attah, who spoke to our correspondent on this issue, confirmed the delay which he said was not the fault of the CGC Hameed Ali but the inability of the Customs board to meet, a development which he lamented has affected all the officers who are due for promotions across board.

He explained that it was beyond the control of the CGC alone to fill these vacant positions as it is the powers of the Customs board to make such a decision.

Attah said due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and other intervening issues, the board has not been able to sit.

However, it was gathered that this delay in the meeting of the board to consider the issues of promotions and appointments into the management team of the Customs has bred unhealthy speculations.

It was being speculated that the delay was to give some senior officers already on the management cadre from a certain section of the country undue advantage over their counterparts whose promotion and subsequent appointments into the top echelon of the service are still being delayed.

Sources further claimed that those officers who are placed on acting capacity as a result of no movement in the organogram of the service are becoming more overbearing and dictatorial.

“It is important to note that the hierarchical appointments that formed the different positions of customs management offices are very crucial as it is expected to follow due process and importantly, a must to capture the six geo-political zones”, a knowledgeable source in Customs whispered to our Correspondent.

Presently, top officers in acting capacities are many, while due to vacant positions especially at the Deputy Comptroller General of Customs (DCG) levels, some are occupying and enjoying multiple juicy positions at the same time despite the availability of more qualified personnel to fill the gaps.

Sources pointed to what is playing out at the Investigation, Enforcement and Inspection (IE&I) department of the Customs which presently has no Deputy Comptroller General (DCG) of Customs in place since the disengagement of the immediate past DCG, Chidi N.

It was gathered that since his retirement, Compt. U. G. Mohammed, who is the Acting Assistant Comptroller General, has been functioning as the de facto Deputy Comptroller General (DCG), calling the shots, while there are reports of his overbearing influence on the Enforcement Commands and units of the Customs nationwide to the extent of trying to run them as if he is the Controlling helmsman on the field.

“It is however wise to act fast in the regards of filling these vacant positions with the appropriate officers before the service would be overwhelmed by reports of sectionalism, tribalism, or marginalization, a speculation that seems to be already gaining ground” a source declared.

“As it currently appears, the CGC is comfortable with mostly Northerners who are on these acting capacities to the detriment of other regions”, another source alleged.

Industry watchers believe that the workload of the Enforcement unit which ranked shoulders with the revenue arm of the service is too huge a task for an ACG who oversees the two positions and who could not cope with the enormous workload and might be constrained to take decisions on certain issues.

“The present situation where Comptroller U. G. Mohammed Superintends over a highly sensitive Enforcement Department as an Assistant Comptroller General as well as Deputy Comptroller General can only breed despotic tendencies, and tool for intimidation against subordinates which will grant him the enormous power and influence such unfettered authority brings”, another source declared.

However, Attah declared that the delay was neither deliberate nor targetted at anyone as it is being wrongly speculated.

He explained that the delay affected everyone who is eagerly waiting for the board to sit to approve their elevation to the next rank, including those in the acting capacity.

”This delay has also affected the confirmation of those who are in the acting capacity to get confirmation. Do you think they will be happy?

”It is when something happened and you are discriminated against, that is when you can then complain, but what do you do when it doesn’t happen because of a certain situation?”, Attah queried

Customs

Tin Can Customs nets N574.3 billion in 2022 —–records N242.365 billion in exports

The Eyewitness reporter

The Tin Can Command of the Nigeria Customs Service has realized a sum of N574.3 billion in 2022.

The Customs Area Controller (CAC), Tin Can Island Port Command, Comptroller Olakunle Oloyede, disclosed this at a news conference at weekend.

Oloyede said the figure represented an increase of N80.90 billion or 16.39 percent when compared with N493.4 billion recorded in 2021.

“This feat can be attributed to the constant rejigging of the existing measures geared toward sustaining the command’s revenue profile.

“It is as well as utilisation of some disruptive strategic measures such as: periodic capacity building, reshuffling and redeployment of officers using the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis and implementation of the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) valuation,” he said.

He noted that the command also ensured robust and continuous stakeholder engagements and collaborations with all sister government agencies and maritime associations.

“These led to timely intelligence sharing, utilisation and voluntary compliance to government’s extant laws by the trading public,” Oloyede said.

He added that the command increased surveillance on declarations made in order to sniff out improper declarations as well as offending items.

He pointed out that the system paid off with the command recording a total of 38 seizures with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N1.85 billion.

“These seizures comprise 763kgs of Colorado (Cannabis Sativa) weighing 345.1kg with a street market value of N714.6 million only as given by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), 5 x 40 containers of used motor tyre (5,060 pieces).

“Also among seized items are 1,150 bales of second-hand clothing, 1,190 cartons of 20 per carton of potassium bromate and baking powder, 11,392 cartons of 1,200 per carton Pharmacol injection chloroquine phosphate 322.5mg.5ml (IV and IM), 206,000 pieces of finished machetes.

“Also, 1,383 cartons of 50 rolls per carton of cigarettes, 650 cartons of 50 pieces per carton of new ladies shoes, 2,666 pieces in 36 pallets of new starter Ex-Premium Inverter Battery, 1,980 cartons of assorted non-alcoholic beverages and 1,048 cartons of Tilda basmati rice,” he said.

Oloyede listed others as 2,594 pieces of ammunition and 20 pieces of arms comprising of one pistol with 611090 (S/W) model JCP 40mm, one used Co2 air pistol with accessories cal 117(4.5m)BM, one marksman repeater pistol, six Mace pepper gun and 10 suspected arms of various types.

He said that the seizures when compared with the 2021 record of 27 seizures with a Debit Note of N607.27 only, show an increase of 11 seizures and N1.24 billion.

He said that the increase in the DPV rate could be associated with increased surveillance and intensified anti-smuggling drive, the high value of seized items and Naira depreciation that led to higher exchange rates on imported items.

“These prohibited items were seized and forfeited to the Federal Government in line with the provision of Sections 46 and 161 of the Customs & Excise Management Act (CEMA) Cap 45 LFN 2004 and Absolute Prohibition List of CET 2022- 2026.

“The command pertinently acknowledges the prominent roles played by the Customs Intelligence Unit, Valuation Unit, Federal Operations Unit, CGC Strike Force as well as interventions of Sister Regulatory Agencies like the NDLEA, Standards Organisation of Nigeria SON, the Nigeria Police and others in ensuring these seizures and detentions were made.

“A total of 60 suspects were detained in 2022 and were granted administrative bail while the command has 8 cases pending in court,” he said.

Oloyede said the command recorded a significant increase in the Free On Board (FOB) of exports in the period under review to the tune of $589,696,648 (N242,365,322,333.00) as against the $496,075,796 (N141,985,109,159.00) recorded in 2021.

He attributed the increase of 34.4 percent in the FOB to the high quality and value of exported commodities.

“However, the export report shows a decrease in tonnage of export from 1,723,986.8 in 2021 to 336,179.5 in 2022.

“The decrease in tonnage could be connected to current government fiscal policy which prohibited the export of wood and wood products as well as the global unrest with its concomitant economic challenges,” he said

He listed the commodities exported through the command to include: cocoa beans, insecticides, dried ginger, empty bottles, soya beans, cashew nuts, cigarettes, rubbers, cocoa butter, frozen shrimps, copper ingots, aluminum ingots, sesame seeds and other manufactured items.

“Cocoa beans were the highest exported commodity while the legend stout was the least exported commodity.

“The future of export in the command looks brighter as the command in line with the headquarter circular on Export Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) released a Port Order on the Command’s harmonised SOP for the seamless facilitation of Export Trade in strict compliance with Extant Laws and guidelines on Export,” he said.

Customs

”No container will leave Apapa Port without 100 percent physical examination”

declares Auwal Mohammed as he takes over as new Apapa Customs Area controller

—promises to surpass N1 trillion revenue mark

—vows not to facilitate non-compliant traders

The Eyewitness reporter

Despite the deployment of cargo scanning machines, the new area comptroller of the Apapa command of the Nigeria Customs Service, Comptroller Auwal Mohammed, has vowed that no container shall leave the Apapa port without a 100 percent physical examination.

Comptroller Mohammed, who formally took over the mantle of leadership of the command Friday, 27th, January 2023, from Ag. Assistant Comptroller-General of Customs(ACG) Malanta Ibrahim Yusuf, said that the decision to subject all cargo to physical examination was meant to account for every content of container passing through the command and to maximize revenue returns to the Federal Government.

He, therefore, warned non-compliant traders to steer clear of the command as he would not facilitate their trade as he desired to surpass the one trillion revenue mark achieved by the command under the former area controller Yusuf.

”We shall continue to conduct 100 percent physical examination of cargo so that we can account for all the cargo in the containers and to generate more revenue so that we can surpass the one trillion revenue collection that the command has already achieved. No package, no container should leave Apapa port without a proper 100 percent physical examination.” the new Comptroller told his officers who had gathered to welcome him.

He continued ”Today marks another era in the history of the Apapa command of the Nigeria Customs Service. I am inheriting a well-structured area command. The level of achievements and status achieved under my predecessor will be sustained while I will look for all means to surpass them.

I am ready for the job. I am aware of the big shoe I am stepping into but I am well prepared for it”, Comptroller Mohammad said.

He, therefore, asked the officers to be at their utmost best to cooperate and work with him to sustain and surpass the legacies of his predecessor.

He also solicited the support and cooperation of stakeholders whom he promised to engage with and updated frequently on all issues and policies that will enhance their trade and performance of the command.

The new helmsman also charged all the releasing officers and the image analysts who will be conducting the scanning of cargo to be diligent and exhibit the utmost sense of responsibility and professionalism in their duty so as not to release uncustomed goods.

Mohammed, who was redeployed from Onne Port Area Command when he was the area controller, also enjoined the importers and their agents to be compliant with the cargo clearance procedural processes in order to enjoy a seamless cargo release.

”The goods clearance procedure is simple. Everything starts and ends with declaration and if there is a proper and correct declaration of cargo, there won’t be any need for delay and unnecessary interference with the process”, he admonished.

Earlier, the outgoing Area Controller, Ag. Yusuf, while handling over the operations and procedures of the command to his successor, solicited the support and cooperation of all the officers and other stakeholders for the new helmsman, urging them to avail the new comptroller of the same level of support, guidance, and cooperation and advice they gave him.

He also lauded the untiring efforts of his officers whom he said were instrumental in the monumental achievements recorded by the command under his watch.

Consequently, some officers who excelled in the discharge of their duties were commended and awarded certificates of merit, including the indefatigable Public Relations officer of the Command, CSC Abubakar Usman.

Customs

Hameed Ali, Customs boss, in last minute frenzied promotion, reshuffle of officers

CGC, Ali

The Eyewitness reporter

In what appears to be his last major assignment before his second-term tenure as the Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service winds down on May 29th, 2023, Hammed Ali, the Customs boss, has undertaken a comprehensive restructuring of the service through mass promotion, a reshuffle of the management team and rejigging of the area Controllers.

Col.(rtd) Ali kickstarted the massive exercise with a promotion galore of officers when on January 5th, 2023, three ACGs were appointed and 1490 officers were promoted to their next ranks by the Customs board upon his recommendation.

Not done yet with what stakeholders described as his parting gift to officers, a week later, the CGC announced the reshuffle of the management team of the service by infusing some newly promoted ACGs into the team while swapping the positions of some old members.

The icing on the cake was when he reshuffled the Area Controllers by rewarding some newly promoted Controllers with juicy Area commands while swapping the positions of the old ones.

The latest exercise, announced Saturday, January 21st, 2023, was the new disposition at the command structure of the service.

In the new posting, Comptroller Timi Bomodi, who was until now, the National Public Relations Officer of the Service and newly promoted to the Comptroller cadre, was posted to head the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal (KLT) in Lagos, while Comptroller Dera Nnadi, who had just concluded his management course at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, near Jos, was posted to Seme Area Command as its Area Controller.

Nnadi had a short stint at Ogun Command, Idiroko, as its Area Controller before he left for NIPSS.

In the new posting, Comptroller Auwal Mohammed was moved from Port Harcourt Area 2 command to head Apapa Command vacated by the revenue czar in the service, ACG Malanta Ibrahim Yusuf.

Others include Compt OA Salefu who now heads Western Marine Command Lagos, Compt AM Ibrahim heads PTML Terminal Lagos and Compt M.S Yusuf superintendents over the Muritala Muhammed Airport command in Lagos.

Compt CD Wada goes to Port Harcourt Area1 command as its Area Controller, while M.I Jalo heads Federal Operations Unit Zone B while B . Mohammed heads Lillypond command in Lagos.

The promotions and reshuffle of officers have however elicited mixed reactions among the Customs officers.

For those who benefited from the parting gift of Hammed Ali, it was a welcome development, but for those who hold the short end of the stick in the exercise, it left a sour taste in their mouth.