Less than a week after sacking 17 junior
officers, the Nigeria Customs Service on Thursday announced the
dismissal of 29 senior officers, including four deputy comptrollers and
five assistant comptrollers.
Others affected in the latest purge are
seven chief superintendents and four superintendents of customs. Ten
other officers were retired from the service.
According to a statement signed by the
Customs’ Deputy Comptroller/Public Relations Officer, Mr. Wale Adeniyi,
the 29 senior officers were sacked for various acts of gross misconduct.
He said the dismissed senior officers
were among the 44 officers who were punished for actions capable of
compromising national economy and security.
The officers affected were said to have
been involved in unlawful acts such as improper examination and release
of containers without proper documentation and payment of duties;
illegal release of goods before the arrival of vessels; fraudulent sale
of seized items; and use of fake certificates and bribery to secure
auctioned goods or release prohibited items.
The statement explained, “All the
officers were served with queries indicating the offences committed
before they made appearances before the Special Investigation Committee.
“The committee’s recommendation was
discussed and approved by the Customs management. The recommendation was
thereafter referred to the Presidency for ratification in the absence
of a substantive Board of the Nigeria Customs Service. All the officers
affected in the exercise have been communicated accordingly.
“The comptroller-general warned officers
that punitive sanctions will continue to be used to discipline officers
who refuse to embrace change.”
The NCS had said the 17 junior officers
earlier dismissed committed offences ranging from drug addiction to
certificate forgery, theft and absence from duty.
Meanwhile, the Comptroller-General of
Customs, Col. Hammed Ali (retd), has called for the reduction in the
number of auto assembly plants given licences to operate in Nigeria
through mergers and consolidation.
Ali’s view, which was presented at a
forum in Lagos organised by the Automotive and Allied Group of the Lagos
Chamber of Commerce and Industry, however, differed sharply from the
position of the National Automotive Design and Development Council.
“The NCS is of the opinion that 44
assembly plants are too ambitious and the reality is that the economy
will not be able to sustain them,”the Customs boss said.
But the Director, NADDC, Dr. Lukman
Mahmud, disagreed with Ali on the issue, stressing that the licensing of
the auto assembly plants followed due process.
According to him, the high number of
automakers showing interest in the venture was an indication of their
confidence in the Nigerian economy, adding that the investors should be
encouraged and supported.
Mahmud and other speakers at the event,
including Prof.Okey Ikeduru of the Arizona State University, United
States; and Dr. Andrew Nevin of PricewaterhouseCoopers, stressed the
need for regular review of the nation’s auto policy and patronage of
locally assembled vehicles by the government and private firms as well
as individuals in order to ensure the success of the programme.
Punch
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