Group Lauds Customs Restructuring, Revenue Generation Reforms

By Ahmed Ahmed

A Group under the auspices of North East Youth Control Center (NEYCC) has hailed the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) restructuring, revenue generation and reforms under Its Comptroller General (CGC), retired Col. Hameed Ali, 

The Coordinator of the group Alhaji Babangida Ajiya, gave the commendation at their quarterly meeting on Monday in Bauchi.

He said restructuring, reforms and revenue generation are key factors responsible for the impressive performance of the customs service in the country.

Ajiya said that the NCS under the leadership of Mr Ali was focusing on aligning the NCS’s operation with international best practice through the mandate.

He said in 2020 alone the Nigerian Custom generated a revenue of N1.5 trillion a rise compared to N1.3 trillion in 2019.

“Customs was able to realise more than half of the targeted revenue for the year due to blockage of identified leakages.

“This is commendable in the history of customs in the country. We have not seen such a transformation that will also improve the development capacity of the country.”

According to him, Hameed Ali insisted on strict enforcement of extant guidelines by the tariff and trade department and Automation of the Customs process, thereby eliminating vices associated with the manual process.

Ajiya explained that the CGC in his efforts to fight corruption in the system, declared that all officers of the agency would declare their assets every year.

“The declaration of assets, Ali made it  compulsory for the officers, to lead by example, as not only were they part of the enforcers of the nation’s laws but also because of their involvement in financial transactions.

“Ali’s reform of the service is not just about correcting the ills at the ports involving officers; it is also about ensuring that there is transparency in whatever the service does,” he said.

The Coordinator of the group, said the leadership of Mr. Ali the customs service went digital to introduce the e-Customs Project as directed by President Mohammadu Buhari

“The e-Customs Project is a Digital platform and an all-encompassing automation system that has to do with administration.

“Payment, border management, export and import processing designed to migrate the service from paper to paperless operations.

“The Customs boss has brought sanity into the service as most of the anomalies associated in the clearance of goods in the nation’s seaports, airports and international land borders have been given the desired attention”;

Ajiya however enjoined the CGC not to relent in his determination to make Customs the pride of the nation, adding that the nation will continue to benefit from his initiatives.

He also urged stakeholders of the North East to emulate the CGC who strides made since he was appointed by President Buhari, saying we are very proud of him from this region.