Factional Leader, Council of Managing Directors Calls For Removal Of Customs CG; Dikko

A renewed call for the removal of Comptroller General Customs, Alhaji Dikko Abdullahi Inde has been made by factional President, National Council of Managing Director Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Mr. Lucky Amiwero. He hinged his call on what he alleged as the decay of destination inspection in Nigerian ports.

Amiwero said that destination inspection has collapsed in the nation's seaports, because of what he alleged as in competence of the Comptroller General of Customs.

Speaking exclusively with Shipping Position Daily last week in Lagos, the frontline licensed customs agent alleged the customs boss misled former President Goodluck Jonathan and the former finance minister; Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala on the introduction of the Pre Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR).

"The whole destination inspection is dead, they brought in PAAR and for five good months the whole ports collapsed, people died, people lost their goods as a result of PAAR, until the minister intervened, changed it and brought in what we called enhanced PAAR", he said.

"If it were to be in another country, that man (Dikko) would have being jailed because he told government that he can do it and for five good months people lost their goods, people paid demurrages, they cannot take their goods from the ports, all these must be investigated"

According to him, Dikko is overdue for removal as the Comptroller General of Customs, “he has messed up the place", he alleged further.

Amiwero added that all the scanners at the ports have collapsed. "Destination inspection has collapsed under Dikko, look at what they are doing now".

He urged President Muhammadu Buhari to start scouting for decent officer that will replace the incumbent customs boss, adding that most practitioners have been driven out of the business.