Maritime Editors Tasks FG on Customs Autonomy, Leadership Tenure

BY EGUONO ODJEGBA

Nigeria League of Maritime Editors (LOME) has frowned at the existing weak administrative structure of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), including the Service’s autonomy, tenure of the comptroller general of customs among other issues within the NCS that requires urgent reform.

The leadership of the group in a statement called on the federal government, particularly the National Assembly, to urgently consider a review of the Customs Act 2023, in addition to the NCS leadership tenure, if the modest economic stability already recorded by the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu led administration is to be sustained.

The press release signed by Mrs Remi Itie and Francis Ugwoke, President and Public Relations Officer of LOME, respectively, noted that whereas aspects of the Customs Act 2023 has proven productive and supportive of a vibrant economy and an enduring fiscal environment, nonetheless, it has created loopholes in the Service’s administrative structure, a development the body of maritime editors say is anachronistic to progress, efficiency and stability.

The statement reads: “The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in 2023 repealed the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA), paving way for reforms which centered on modernization of its operations to be in line with global standards and best practices.

“The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Act 2023 which birthed in place of CEMA no doubt, brought about positive changes leading to the current excellent performance of the leadership, officers and men of the Customs Service. But there appears to be a missing link in the 2023 Customs Act amendment. Decades of clamour for the autonomy of the Service, and indeed, the specific tenure of appointees in the management cadre of the Service, including the Comptroller-General of the Service, Deputy Comptrollers-General and Assistant Comptrollers General was left out.

“The current scenario is that the tenure of these leaders are not stated, a development that oblige them to simply retire on attainment of 35 years of Service or 60 years of age; as the case may be. It does not matter whether they spend six months in office, as they are compelled to bow out irrespective of what developmental programmes they have at hand.’

Continuing, the statement added: “The League of Maritime Editors sees this as an aberration and calls on the Federal Government, specifically the National Assembly, to as a matter of urgency, consider an urgent amendment to this aspect of the Customs Act.

“Incidentally, the House of Representatives Committee on Customs and Excise had given an indication of planning an amendment of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, and we see this as an opportunity to address the lacuna.”

Greatly concerned, the League went to some academic length to establish reasons the federal government together with its essential organs must act fast in amending the Customs Act to among other things forestall the impending but avoidable chaos that may follow the implementation of the faulty customs act; especially at a time the NCS has become the arrow head in critical economic balancing.

“Chairman of the Committee, Honourabke Leke Abejide during a recent visit to the Lagos ports pointed this out, promising  that part of the amendment would  be to ensure a four year statutory  tenure for any serving Comptroller-General of Customs (CGC).

“This, we welcome, and call on the Federal Government, including the lawmakers to expedite action on the amendment to ensure a sustainable leadership plan for the Service. Abeide had expressed regret that the 2023 Nigeria Customs Service Act failed to stipulate this in its provisions. Although the view of the Legal Adviser of the House Committee during the visit was that the civil service rule supersedes the Customs CG tenure, the League is of the view that this argument does not hold water for obvious reasons.

“The House Committee, in its reform should be reminded that the Central Bank Governor and the Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) are all government appointees whose stay in office, re tenured. As a matter of fact, there are other agencies with similar tenureship, including the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) who enjoys tenure of five years and can do a maximum of two tenures.

“We, therefore, call on the Federal Government to consider the Customs Act amendment with the provisions for the position of the CGC to be tenured either for four years and or five years single tenure”, adding:

“With such time frame, the CGC on assuming office would be able to plan development efforts, execute some of them before leaving office, while mentoring successors for sustainable management.”