Ali says Customs postings to be based on merit

The Nigeria Customs Service stated on Monday that posting of its personnel would now be based on merit rather than external influences.

The Comptroller-General of the NCS, retired Colonel Hameed Ali, made the statement during a familiarisation visit to the Customs Command in Minna, Niger State.

Ali said posting based on “whom you know” was encouraging corruption as “such personnel remit money gotten through corrupt practices to their godfathers.

“No more godfather in the posting of the Nigeria Customs Service personnel.

“I urge you to desist from such acts capable of bringing the service to disrepute.

“The Customs knows where you can put in your best so we will post you there instead of where you will be loyal to somebody at the detriment of the service.”

Ali decried situations where personnel of the service were loyal to senior officers or individuals who influenced their posting, a development he said was causing shortfalls in revenue generation.

He said the Customs was being re-positioned to block avenues of wastages.

Ali tasked officers and men of the Command to increase patrol to stop or minimise the proliferation of small arms through the border areas.

“Intelligence reports reaching us say that small arms are being smuggled through your border areas,” he said.

He, however, decried the remuneration of Customs workers, promising that he would discuss the issue of remuneration with President Muhammadu Buhari.

The customs chief said the Service must meet its revenue targets to justify better welfare package.

He said: “I am not happy with the remuneration of the customs personnel.

“I will go to Mr. President to plead that he does something about it.”

Ali said issues of office and residential accommodation for Customs personnel would be given priority as soon as the service received funds.

“We will renovate existing structures that need attention and build new ones where there is need,” he said.

NAN.