Emeka Okoroanyanwu
The Nigeria Customs Service has overhauled it’s management with the appointment on Friday of three Deputy Controllers General and three Assistant Controllers General.
The appointments were approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Comptroller General of the Customs, Wale Adeniyi yesterday named Messrs FO Okun, MBA Musa and A Hamisu as Deputy Controllers General, DCGs and K Olumoh, AB Mohammed and A Alajogun Assistant Controllers General, ACGs.
Equally some members of Customs management were retired from the service to give room for their juniors who have been elevated to management positions.
While thanking the retired members of the management for their meritorious service, the Acting Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi congratulated the newly appointed officers and charged them to redouble their efforts to ensure the Service achieves greater heights in its mandates of revenue generation, suppression of smuggling and trade facilitation.
The CGC had earlier announced that the Customs Service was reviewing the strategy of its Enforcement unit
He said this at a meeting with Patrol Heads of the Federal Operations Unit, Zone ‘A’, after rounding off his maiden visit to some Area Commands and other Customs Formations in Zone ‘A’.
According to him, one of the steps taken to effect change is the withdrawal of the operations of the CGC Strikeforce Team to strengthen the Federal Operations Unit.
He said: “This is what many of us met when we joined the Service. It means that the major enforcement arm of the Service is now Federal Operations, so you will be held responsible for whatever happens around your jurisdiction.”
“You no longer have any other structure, of course. The Border drills are completely different. But within the Service, you are the number one Enforcement Agency and it is a huge responsibility given to you. I want to believe that you are up to the responsibility.
“We were doing it before, so let me say that if there are any of these structures placed above your head or under you that are making seizures, they are not doing anything new because it is what you have been used to doing and it is what we are challenging you to do.” He stressed.
According to CGC Adewale, this will also mean that the checkpoints will be reviewed and reduced because there are so many expectations from the Service in line with global standards.
He also pointed out that there will be consultations with various Area Controllers to undertake a self-review of patrol operations. Some of the questions to be reviewed are, “What are those things that we can do differently? Which Agency or which Unit can we collaborate with? Can we work with the border Commands, those that are resident commands and mount a stronger position against smuggling?”
“What strength can we draw from synergy from other agencies of government? How can we make better use of intelligence in our operations? How do we cultivate them? How do we ensure that they serve our purpose and not the purpose of criminals? How can we integrate some little technological tools into our operations so that they will be technologically driven?” He asked rhetorically.
Similarly, he beckoned on the personnel to be more professional and conscious without compromising national security and always uphold the ethics of their profession in the discharge of their duties and outward appearance.
