The Nigeria Customs Service Board NCSB, has confirmed the appointment of 20 of its senior officers.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Service’s National Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Maiwada, the appointment of the 20 officers, which include 5 Deputy Comptroller Generals (DCGs) and 15 Assistant Comptroller Generals (ACGs), was confirmed during the NCSB’s 57th regular meeting chaired by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed.
The 5 DCG’s are: M. Abba-Kura, Enforcement Inspection & Investigation; AG Saidu, Human Resource Development; JP Ajoku, Excise, Free Trade Zone & Industrial Incentives; BA Adeniyi, Strategic Research and Policy, and GA Itotoh, DCG/Commander Training and Doctrine Command.
The ACGs whose appointments were confirmed are: O Peters, ACG/Zonal Coordinator Zone ‘C’; AI ALFA, Strategic Research and Policy; HJ Swomen, Excise, Free Trade Zone & Industrial Incentives, KC Egwuh, Doctrine Development and Administration Command, and MBA Musa, Tariff and Trade.
Others are, A Dappa-Williams, Enforcement Inspection & Investigation; BM Jibo, Headquarters; A Hamisu, ACG/Commandant, Nigeria Customs Command & Staff College; Y Salihu, Finance & Admin and MI Yusuf, Training and Coordination.
The rest are: SA Bomai, ACG Board; CK Niagwan, Technical Services; KI Adeola, ICT/Modernization; IO Babalola, ACG/Zonal Coordinator Zone ‘D’, and BU Nwafor, Human Resource Development.
The Minister of Finance, Budget, and National Planning, expressed delight at the outcome of her stewardship of the Nigeria Customs Service Board, adding that it had been a very interesting and educative experience for her as the Chairperson of the NCSB.
“We have seen during this process significant improvement in terms of the operations of the Nigeria Customs Service. We had cause to get several approvals for the Service including enhancement of the remuneration of the staff, and improvement in terms of cost of collections for the Nigeria Customs Service.
“We have also been able to complete the process toward the realization of the rollout of the Trade Modernization Project. These are all fundamental building blocks that are going to work positively towards enhancing and modernizing the whole of the Nigeria Customs Service in line with the requirements of the World Customs Organization and other protocols that Nigeria is committed to”, the Minister said.
In a related development, the board has also approved the implementation of a Competency-Based Accelerated Career Progression Plan, CBACPP.
The plan is a proactive strategy designed to close the generational gap that could lead to leadership vacuum in the higher hierarchies of the Nigeria Customs Service, if not addressed.
The Board also expressed pleasure over the recent enactment of the new Customs Act into law, adding that it has made plans to organize a retreat for the Board Members and expanded Management of NCS, aimed at facilitating a seamless transition.
The retreat is to be followed by a stakeholder education and engagement forum which will be launched to inform the public about the provision of the new Act and the corresponding compliance requirement.
