For eight consecutive years, promotions and appointments had been stagnant in the Nigeria Customs Service NCS, for obvious reasons that the top leadership echelon was converted to sole administrator-ship, rather than the on the job and succession policy of many decades service.
The ugly development many Nigerians kicked against which obviously negated the lay down procedures or the act setting the service to no avail , particularly the Customs was the only paramilitary service that was affected by the presidential arrangements.
Under the guise of mopping up revenues and reducing corruption in the system, it became a top roof situations, as the then sole administrator of the service was carrying out official engagements with private jets, against the lay down procedures and new to the service.
Nonetheless, operationally, it was worst hit, as revenue profile of the customs became more prone to fraud, as a result of the non -conversant nature of the top management appointed by the previous administration.
Many franchise, contract arrangements and policies introduced did not see the light of the day, as they appeared laudable, but poor execution and or non execution of policies and programs, that was geared towards jerking up the revenue profile of the service.
These negative development was worsened by low morale of the staffs of the service, due to selected promotions and transfers and appointments that negated the lay down procedures.
Trainings and retrainings became a highly favoured affair laced with political interferences, that had discouraged on the job trainingo and promotions desiring of the officers and men of the service.
The discouraging scenario was that those at the top echelon having built career in the service became discouraged, due to the stagnated situations of the conversion of the top leadership of the service to sole administrator-ship.
Revenue pilfering, diversion, conversion and favoritism to cronies and contrabands meant to be auctioned to ordinary Nigerians became the order of the day, as close ally of the previous sole administrator line up on quarterly basis to benefit from seized items from cars to house hold equipment, to food items.
The ugly development was against the lay down procedures and Custom act, that had further encouraged corruption and revenue leakages the previous administration relied on to appoint a sole administrator, to head the Nigerian Customs Service NCS.
But, with the appointment of the new Ag Controller General , Nigerian Customs Service, Adewale Bashir Adeniyi, no doubt activities and professionalism has returned to the paramilitary service.
Not long after the appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a new Board of the service consisting of Assistant Comptroller Generals was put in place, to oversee the activities of various departments in the organization.
The new leadership had embarked on tour of it’s establishments across the country, including ports and land boarders not only to inspect it’s facilities and staffs, but to reassure the officers and men towards job security, encouragement far from the previous leadership that operated only from Abuja, the headquarters of the service and nation’s capital.
With the assumption of duty of Ag Comptroller General NCS and career officer, it is obvious that all available franchise, pending ones and new ones will be put in place to transform and improve the revenue profile of the service.
Having came to the top echelon through the cadre, the new Ag Controller General, Nigerian Customs Service NCS will develop a well thought out programs and template, that will redefine the service with a view to improving the revenue and contribute to the national treasury, particularly at this point in time when the economy is not static.
Alot of achievements had been recorded just two months at the mantle of leadership by the Ag Comptroller General NCS, both in revenue and many other activities of NCS particularly smuggling and rustling in many areas.
Yusuf, A Public Affairs Analyst,writes from Abuja.He can be reached on [email protected].
