Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali Ibrahim was in Lagos recently on a week-long working visit to some customs commands and formations. During the visit, he also interfaced with maritime stakeholders, including the media. He ended the visit with a media parley, where he shed light on some burning issues. Our correspondent Roland Ekama was one of the journalists at the interaction. Here, he captures some of the salient points from the Retired Colonel and former Military Administrator of Kaduna State.
Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali Ibrahim was in Lagos recently on a week-long working visit to some customs commands and formations. During the visit, he also interfaced with maritime stakeholders, including the media. He ended the visit with a media parley, where he shed light on some burning issues. Our correspondent Roland Ekama was one of the journalists at the interaction. Here, he captures some of the salient points from the Retired Colonel and former Military Administrator of Kaduna State.
"I am not in customs to sack the people rather I am in customs to make sure that the people I met on ground are turned around for the better"
How would you describe the Nigeria Customs in the area of corruption?
I want to say this with all sense of responsibility that in the Nigeria Customs Service, there are few corrupt elements, but most customs men and officers are not corrupt. What happens is that because our activities remain open to members of the public and once you get one bad egg the news goes out too fast and such impression in Nigerian perception is that we are all corrupt based on the activities of some few bad elements in the service. I have said that we must do some house cleansing by getting rid of those bad eggs, in order to strengthen the customs service. I have resolved with the senior management officers of the service that henceforth, the laws, conducts and operations of the Nigeria Customs Service must be applied in full. We are not going to shy away from that and we must make sure that where there is a breach by any of our men, we will come down on such person very hard and I have underscored this point that 27 years of my life in military was law enforcement and by my background, I have also learnt that you can only stop or reduce offences to the barest minimum by making an example of creating a deterrent. If you don't punish, obviously people will continue to commit such offence and many people will join but when you punish and keep on punishing there are chances that some people will run away from such act and we have resolved that those few individuals who give you the impression that we are all corrupt; the laws will come down on them heavily as soon as we are able to identify them. You can remember when I spoke with some of our partners, I reflected this; that the job of customs take two to tangle and in this case corruption, it is either you take money from somebody or you give any of my men money in order to induce him to do something contrary. And we catch both of them, we will make sure that they are prosecuted or punished because the law in the customs provides five years jail term without option and the laws of federation provide for 10years and I will make sure that we push for the maximum so that we can make example of anyone who commits such act.
Do you have the intention to sack some of your officers?
This is my sixth week as Comptroller General and it is not possible to sack everybody. Mine is to make the system work, so my job is not to sack but people can decide if they want to leave the service because we are going to tighten the noose, the right thing must be done, obviously some people will say the seat is too hot for them and they will opt out and we will be glad to say – go. Those that will remain must be directed to work in accordance with the parameters set by the government. So the choice of whether to stay or go is for that person that is in customs today to decide if he or she cannot cope or can cope ;however the option is theirs. I am not in customs to sack the people rather , I am in customs to make sure that the people I met on ground are turned around for the better so that we can make progress and make the service a better place for all of us.
As Customs Comptroller General, won't you wear the customs inform?
I don't see anything about wearing the uniform to work because the person who appointed me as Comptroller General did not say go and wear uniform, rather , he said go and do this job and I am doing the job. I don't have to wear uniform to do the job , my colleagues right here don't have to see me in uniform before they say I am their boss. So why does that bother people to say why am I not on customs uniform. What you are supposed to ask me is how can I change customs or say how am I going to carry out the mandate given by the President. I am sure that I will deliver by the grace of God.
How would you compare your visit to Idiroko and Seme border and that of Lagos Ports Complex and Tin Can Island port respectively?
There are two different operational areas; the first two are land borders while the other two are seaports. The type of jobs we do there is different from what we do here. At the land borders we have our enforcement teams there , we have to carry arms at the border posts in order to fight smugglers but at the ports ,you won't see any officers with guns unless it becomes necessary because the ports are strictly concerned with facilitation of trade and also making sure that people pay their duty and collect their goods. But at the border the operations differ. When you see men with camouflage you know that it is necessary for them to wear it at the ports, but at Idiroko and Seme, you find out that most of them are in that outfit because the job demands that from them.
What do you have for officers in the area of promotion and postings?
I don't think I have any preference for deployment because those in the industrial commands whom I think are in charge of excise duty, which is very minimal, are equally my officers and indeed good officers. We are going to base our assessment based on what is on ground and not on the area where you serve because the days of collecting egunje is over. There is no lucrative posting anymore. Beside if I am a customs officer , I will shy away from going to the ports where there will be temptation rather I will go to where there will be no temptation so that I will not get into trouble, but if you get into trouble then you are gone.
Accommodation is a major problem for officers what do you intend to do in that regards?
I have gone round and I have seen their working environment and I have also told them that their welfare is paramount in my mind and there is no doubt about it. There is no way you want to push people to do what you want them to do without the wherewithal in place and I am sure that there will be a good working and decent environment for officers. I have resolved with the senior management that we should make it a priority as long as we serve. Therefore very soon if I will be able to raise money, I am sure you will see us launching projects that will be of benefit for our staff.
How do you intend to collaborate with other agencies?
I have designed a programme that will involve other paramilitary organisations. We will meet with the Police and the Army. Already we have a very good relationship and support from the military; anytime we are going for raid on smugglers we always call for back up and they always support us. Therefore we have a good relationship and we want to strengthen it further. However we will be going round to talk to others. Our borders are porous therefore we need other agencies to help strengthen our operations because those smugglers are dangerous than Boko Haram.
What is your reaction to allegations that officers of customs intercept containers on the highways after exiting the ports?
In the customs, we have the Federal Operations Unit whose jobs is to make sure that they police the customs itself and that is exactly what they are doing and that is their assignment because we know that there are some leakages which lead to the creation of that unit, they act on information, they have intelligent unit officers and in the process they get information that some containers are not properly cleared ,therefore go after such containers. Going after containers on the highways is based on a tip off because such containers were not properly cleared before leaving the port. Now I have given an instruction that if we arrest any consignment through the borders or ports, we not only trace the importers but we also trace where those goods came from and that officers that are involved will be punished. The law allows us to do that; even down to the warehouse.
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