The New Customs
- By Business World
- Published December 13th, 2009
- Editorial
- Unrated
Barely six months after his appointment as Comptroller-General of Nigeria Customs service, Alhaji Abdullahi Inde Dikko has initiated reforms that are going to be lasting legacy. Some have tagged his 100 days as glorious.
Others call it a success story. It seems there is a detachment from the past since his appointment as the CGC on the 18th of August 2009. He has displayed a rare dynamism in running the affairs of the agency. He has been hailed by colleagues and contemporaries as a dedicated and an active astute administrator, who is setting records and paces, unprecedented in the customs.
As the then Comptroller- in- Charge of the Seme Command, he was able to raise the revenue profile in 2007 to about N3.7 billion. This feat was acknowledged by all as clearly historical and unrivalled in the history of the Seme Border. He, in fact, exceeded the set target for that year.
On assumption of office, a new strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) was entered with all stakeholders to block revenue leakages.
Apart from the introduction of a new clearing regime to stem duty evasion, a Customs Duty payment Investigation team was put in place to recover any duties lost illegally. So far about N4.4 billion of what would have been lost as revenue has been recovered by the team. On general revenue profile for the year, which is encouraging, the general efforts have yielded a total revenue of N423 billion Naira. A weekly revenue analysis is being conducted to ginger the commands to meet the revenue target. There has been a bold crackdown on smugglers. Dikko had before now built a reputation as smugglers’ nightmare in the process raking in revenue for the service.
On taking office, therefore the CGC drew up a dynamic approach which would further quell what had become a hydra-headed monster, an embarrassment to the county .He consequently dismantled all hinterland checkpoints and shifted emphasis to policing the borders. This action has been hailed by Nigerians including the President of the National Harmonized Traders Union who contended that the check-points were a stumbling block to movement of goods and services.
The emphasis on policing the borders has paid off as evidenced within a short period. A total of 306 assorted seizures were made with a duty value of about N1.2 billion. With this trend the illegal activities of importers and smugglers are definitely on their way to extinction.
Top on the priority list of the six point agenda of the new customs service is maximizing the potentials of the service through capacity building. In actualizing this objective, a new human resources department was immediately created. The capacity building programmes, both local and international include: 3000 customs men and women are slated to be trained in Computer Appreciation and Application in Lagos, Kano and Port-Harcourt is a step towards eradicating computer illiteracy in the entire Customs. Thirty eight other officers underwent the training the trainers programme to develop the modules for the training of new recruits. Ninety officers have already been trained across the country on valuation so as to keep abreast with the new trend of duty collection based on transaction value. Thirteen officers of the rank of comptrollers led by Salisu Argungu, Deputy-Comptroller-General in charge of Human Resources Department underwent an intensive leadership accountability, ethics and good corporate governance training at the University of Pittsburgh in the United States of America.
It has always been Dikko’s philosophy that no meaningful progress can be achieved without improved welfare for the service. To this end, the starting point, since he came on board was to make a definite commitment on the improvement of welfare generally.
Also in continuation of the sanitization of the service physically, and otherwise, the present slums going by the name of Customs Barracks are marked to be transformed into comfortable modern day facilities. This is against the background of an inspection tour of the barracks in the first week of his appointment. He has toured Barracks in Jabi, Karu, Nyanya and Kado in the Federal Capital Territory particularly. The Comptroller-General directed the rehabilitation and renovation of the Barracks and the expansion of the hitherto one and two bedroom flats to be habitable abode for the officers and men of the service. This is the first time such kind posture has being embarked by the service. So far broken down buses have been refurbished and put back in use thereby easing the transport problems to a very large extent. CGC for most people emphasized that Abdullahi Inde Dikko has never left anyone in doubt that he is a focused person, visionary and undaunted in the pursuit of a meaningful future. There is no surprise therefore that with his coming on board everyone is happy and the grudges and grumbles that have been there have vanished into thin air. What a new dawn, and a new fresh leadership generating sincerity, hope and stability among the ranks and file, officers and men of the new Nigeria Customs Service.
Others call it a success story. It seems there is a detachment from the past since his appointment as the CGC on the 18th of August 2009. He has displayed a rare dynamism in running the affairs of the agency. He has been hailed by colleagues and contemporaries as a dedicated and an active astute administrator, who is setting records and paces, unprecedented in the customs.
As the then Comptroller- in- Charge of the Seme Command, he was able to raise the revenue profile in 2007 to about N3.7 billion. This feat was acknowledged by all as clearly historical and unrivalled in the history of the Seme Border. He, in fact, exceeded the set target for that year.
On assumption of office, a new strategic Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) was entered with all stakeholders to block revenue leakages.
Apart from the introduction of a new clearing regime to stem duty evasion, a Customs Duty payment Investigation team was put in place to recover any duties lost illegally. So far about N4.4 billion of what would have been lost as revenue has been recovered by the team. On general revenue profile for the year, which is encouraging, the general efforts have yielded a total revenue of N423 billion Naira. A weekly revenue analysis is being conducted to ginger the commands to meet the revenue target. There has been a bold crackdown on smugglers. Dikko had before now built a reputation as smugglers’ nightmare in the process raking in revenue for the service.
On taking office, therefore the CGC drew up a dynamic approach which would further quell what had become a hydra-headed monster, an embarrassment to the county .He consequently dismantled all hinterland checkpoints and shifted emphasis to policing the borders. This action has been hailed by Nigerians including the President of the National Harmonized Traders Union who contended that the check-points were a stumbling block to movement of goods and services.
The emphasis on policing the borders has paid off as evidenced within a short period. A total of 306 assorted seizures were made with a duty value of about N1.2 billion. With this trend the illegal activities of importers and smugglers are definitely on their way to extinction.
Top on the priority list of the six point agenda of the new customs service is maximizing the potentials of the service through capacity building. In actualizing this objective, a new human resources department was immediately created. The capacity building programmes, both local and international include: 3000 customs men and women are slated to be trained in Computer Appreciation and Application in Lagos, Kano and Port-Harcourt is a step towards eradicating computer illiteracy in the entire Customs. Thirty eight other officers underwent the training the trainers programme to develop the modules for the training of new recruits. Ninety officers have already been trained across the country on valuation so as to keep abreast with the new trend of duty collection based on transaction value. Thirteen officers of the rank of comptrollers led by Salisu Argungu, Deputy-Comptroller-General in charge of Human Resources Department underwent an intensive leadership accountability, ethics and good corporate governance training at the University of Pittsburgh in the United States of America.
It has always been Dikko’s philosophy that no meaningful progress can be achieved without improved welfare for the service. To this end, the starting point, since he came on board was to make a definite commitment on the improvement of welfare generally.
Also in continuation of the sanitization of the service physically, and otherwise, the present slums going by the name of Customs Barracks are marked to be transformed into comfortable modern day facilities. This is against the background of an inspection tour of the barracks in the first week of his appointment. He has toured Barracks in Jabi, Karu, Nyanya and Kado in the Federal Capital Territory particularly. The Comptroller-General directed the rehabilitation and renovation of the Barracks and the expansion of the hitherto one and two bedroom flats to be habitable abode for the officers and men of the service. This is the first time such kind posture has being embarked by the service. So far broken down buses have been refurbished and put back in use thereby easing the transport problems to a very large extent. CGC for most people emphasized that Abdullahi Inde Dikko has never left anyone in doubt that he is a focused person, visionary and undaunted in the pursuit of a meaningful future. There is no surprise therefore that with his coming on board everyone is happy and the grudges and grumbles that have been there have vanished into thin air. What a new dawn, and a new fresh leadership generating sincerity, hope and stability among the ranks and file, officers and men of the new Nigeria Customs Service.
