The wind of change is blowing gently in the land, and understandably so. Our countrymen and women, aided by the power of the mass, more appropriately, social media, have created the ‘commentary frenzy’, throwing darts in all directions, ostensibly helping the new administration at the centre in search of saints to run the government, its various agencies and organs. Idealists will describe this euphoric mood as an attempt to put new wine in old bottles. To ponder, can all the men and women inherited by President Muhammadu Buhari be ‘sinners’ and ‘rogues’ unfit for public office? Certainly such thinking is myopic. Granted, many have abused the trust for selfless service, productivity and pursuit of national interest. Not a few men and women in public office have achieved some notable feats in their own little way of contributing to the success of government and advancing national interest.
When critics, busy bodies and selfappointed analysts are wont to pull him down, those eyeing the seat of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service have acclaimed the incumbent helmsman, Dikko Inde Abdullahi for his outstanding achievements in office including his record-breaking feats revenue- generation for government and the improvement in the welfare of men and officers under him. Indeed, it is on record at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja, that CG Inde Abdullahi, upon assumption of office, took deliberate and ingenious steps to block all avenues of revenue leakage.
He did not work alone but fired the enthusiasm and commitment of officers in various commands across the country. The result is the astronomical increase in revenue from about N30 billion in August, 2009, to a monthly average of N100 billion. A complimentary feat is the spectacular seizure of contrabands by eagle-eyed Customs men at borders. Every officer and staff of the Nigeria Customs Service can today testify to the efficacy of Abdullahi’s six-point agenda which was designed to re-position the Service as a modern, efficient, transparent and result-oriented organization. The philosophy of the schema is focused on maximizing the potentials of the Customs through capacity building.
This gave birth to a new department of human resources development to engage in massive training and re-training of officers and men with the cardinal mandate to restore and enhance professionalism and productivity. Record indicates that about 8,000 senior and 10,000 junior staff of various departments of the Service have been trained locally and abroad. The trainings, which are still on-going, cover areas like Enforcement and Drugs, Tariff and Trade, Accounts and Audit, Human Resources, Asycuda and many more. The campaign on moral rebirth for discipline and integrity in the Customs was a deliberate re-branding strategy introduced by the CG to create a significant awareness on behavioural reform. The result is the display of high sense of responsibility and diligence, punctuality and neatness, respect and discipline among officers. Staffers now attest to the fact that a uniform Code of the Provost Unit is applicable across the country, and implemented without bias.
The incumbent CG is passionate about staff welfare for officers and men of the Customs. He introduced and successfully accomplished 100% increase in salary and allowances across board from January, 2010. Many operational vehicles were provided just as befitting residential houses were provided in Kuje, Abuja. The electronic collection platform was strengthened through the introduction of Pre Arrival Assessment Report to facilitate trade by ensuring that cargoes go through fast clearance. Major aspects such as Manifest, Payment, Notification and Release are now done on the electronic platform, all in the bid to engender prompt service- delivery and efficiency.
The frequent participation of the NCS in conferences and seminar under the auspices of the World Customs Organization has culminated in the promotion of international best practices and procedures in Customs formalities and processes. In 2011, Nigeria hosted the Policy Commission meeting of the WCO in Abuja, further consolidating her position in Customs community. Without gainsaying the fact, the Nigeria Customs Service under Mr. Abdullahi has fostered mutual understanding between the Service and the general public by opening up of its activities, plans and policies. The CG should be commended for keeping an open door policy with all stakeholders. No doubt, he has traversed all zones and command on a continual basis to give the Service a human face. •Kareem is a policy analyst, based in Abuja.
