The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Custom Service, Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko Inde has said that by the end of August 2013, many officers of the Tin Can command may lose their jobs or be redeployed to other remote commands.
The threat came on the heels of complaints that had emanated from the command about officers giving out their passwords to agents to be used in clearing cargoes.
The Comptroller General of the Nigeria Custom Service, Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko Inde has said that by the end of August 2013, many officers of the Tin Can command may lose their jobs or be redeployed to other remote commands.
The threat came on the heels of complaints that had emanated from the command about officers giving out their passwords to agents to be used in clearing cargoes.
Dikko who was addressing the Tin Can Island officers on the second day of his tour of commands in Lagos, said that unless the command is able to surpass its revenue target for the month of August, many of them might be sacked from the service.
He expressed disappointment at the fact that there have been revenue leakages at the command because many of the officers were engaging in clearing of goods and running of DTI Cafe businesses.
According to him, such officers usually turn back to complain that their pass words was hacked by internet fraudsters.
Speaking further, he said "those of you who have complained that your password was hacked and your case is with Aminu Dairo, pack your belongings you are leaving this service, it means that you employ the service of camp boys". "Those who have had hacking problem, pack your things and go to the village, get a piece of land for farming"
Dikko complained that there are too many officers at Tin Can island command and that by the end of August, three quartersof the officers will be redeployed to Gombe, Taraba or Nassarawa States where officers are needed.
He said that only one quarter of the number of officers will remain by then.
"I will only change my mind if you surpass your revenue target this month, so, for those of you who does not know how to issue Debit notes (DN), start learning how to issue debit notes now", he advised.
He assured the officers that their activities are being monitored closely from the headquarters and that he is aware of all the illegalities going on at the command.
He said that many of the officers have clearing licenses and are always demanding for expatriate prices to clear cargoes.
Dikko also warned against holding clearing agents to ransom or delaying cargoes unnecessarily, saying “you are sending people away from the port; it is when you release the cargo that revenue can come in".
A source within the command (names withheld) however told Shipping Position Daily that there are 1, 084 officers currently operating at tin can command and that this is grossly inadequate.
According to him, instead of pruning down the number of officers, efforts should be made to double the number in order to serve the stakeholders better.
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