Date Published: 08/26/09
Challenges before the new Customs boss
By Bonaventure Melah
The recent appointment of Abdullahi Dikko Inde as the new Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service by President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua could not have come at a more auspicious time, not with the mirage of problems that have bedeviled that very important organization of the Nigerian economy and public life.
There is no gainsaying the fact that the Nigerian Customs Service has for some years now being performing far below the expectations of all stakeholders including the Federal Government, the Nigerian people and even officers and men of the Service themselves, so much so that its revenue generation drive has nose-dived into a disappointing stupor of a little over N30billion from an annual expected income of N70billion, a loss of over 50 percent.
Beside poor revenue generation, the poor performance of the previous Comptrollers General of the Service especially within the past few years was said to be the major factor behind the low morale of Customs officials who have joined the band- wagon of public officers who do more of gossip at work place rather than face their jobs with some level of military alacrity.
Another serious problem of the Nigerian Customs Service is corrupt practices said to be very rampant within all levels of its workforce and this could be buttressed by the series of investigations being carried out presently by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other security agencies on allegations of sleaze, connivance and other sharp practices running into billions of Naira involving dozens of both serving and retired personnel of the Service.
Smuggling which is one of the conduits from where importers cheat the government of duties and other charges has become a hangman’s rope on the neck of the Nigeria Customs Service as its officers and men are alleged to be deeply enmeshed in the racket and with the suspension of public auction of seized goods for some time now, there has been wide allegations that officials of the service periodically open Customs warehouses and “share” millions of bags of rice, tons of assorted wines, stockfish, vegetable oil, bales of clothes, cars and several other “contraband” materials among themselves and their political cum social cleavages.
It is for the above and many other management and social viruses identified with the Nigeria Customs Service that the challenge before Abdullahi Dikko Inde, the new Comptroller General can be said to be mountain- sized even as feelers coming from within and outside the organization indicates that a square peg has been put into a square hole, with many saying that a revolution that would bring out the best of the Service is in the offing.
Being the only chartered Accountant in the top management team, Abdullahi Dikko Inde is said to posses all the prerequisite qualifications including academic and the experience needed to reposition the organization and provoke the spirit of patriotism and hard work among officers and men towards providing the Nigerian people and others the best quality service, henceforth.
Already there is said to be wide jubilation among Customs men and women especially the rank and file who have always seen the new Comptroller General as a mentor and a leader who cares for the welfare of others far above for himself, a quality he was said to have exhibited when he rose to challenge the management sometime ago when money approved as bonuses for officers was diverted into purchase of houses for the Service, houses allegedly converted later into personal estates through monetization at embarrassing costs that paid the top management officers handsomely.
A sincere, honest and highly disciplined officer, Abdullahi Dikko Inde is said to have made it a habit to be the first officer to report to duty every morning, arriving before or at 7. 30 am for the past ten years now, a conduct that is said to have robbed off, on his personal staff and hundred of others who see him as a source of inspiration.
According to feelers from the Aso Rock Villa, seat of Nigeria’s central government, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was said to have been highly impressed with the report he got on the pedigree of Abdullahi Dikko Inde especially on his hatred for corruption and the efforts he has made in the past within the limits of his powers to tame the monster in the Service.
For example, the new Customs boss was said to have exposed many corrupt officers and men in the Service and hundreds of Nigerian and foreign businessmen and companies that have been cheating the country through complete evasion of duties and other criminal acts when he headed the Investigation Unit of the Service. So for the president what made him decide on Dikko was more about merit and credibility as primary drivers, rather than kinsmanship as many have posited.
There is also a great expectation that the contributions of the Nigeria Customs Service to the economy of the nation would witness an increase during Abdullahi Dikko Inde’s term of office having in mind that he exceeded the revenue target of his unit when he was in charge of Seme Border raking in over N3billion within a specified period far above the N2billion expected, while his unequalled feat at the Kirikiri Lighter Terminal in 2001 when he was deployed to decongest the place could be a motivation for the entire organization in that wise.
At the age of 50, the new Customs boss knows that he still has up to ten years to spend in the service of his father land through the Customs Service and therefore a lot at stake. This age advantage would provide him with enough room to map out his operational agenda for a better Service and time to implement them, unlike the case of some of his predecessors who were appointed within months of their exit and therefore felt there was no need being ambitious but to just grab whatever was at their reach before leaving.
There is therefore the need to give the new Comptroller General of the Nigeria Customs Service, Abdullahi Dikko Inde all necessary supports and free hand to prove himself, and not inundate him with unwarranted criticisms especially through the media as was the case even before he was appointed. The government should also consider disbanding the so- called Customs Reforms Committee as its activities may amount to unnecessary meddlesomeness and run counter to the agenda of the new administration.
Bonaventure Melah, a journalist and social commentator lives in Abuja and can be reached on e-mail: bonphimelah2001@yahoo.com Tel: 08036062975.
