Issues

Nigerian Customs:Setting New Agenda?

Published

13 years ago

June 29, 2011

Getting Imported Goods Into The country through our ports on time has been a major worry for importers for as long as one can remember, no thanks to the bureaucratic bottlenecks put in their path by the various government agencies operating at Nigeria’s ports.

Not a few Nigerians are quick to lay the blame for the delay at the feet of the Nigerian Customs Service even when the facts on ground do not support their position. It’s a mindset problem as most of them would instinctively blame the Customs for any delay in clearance of goods even without seeing or listening to the fact of the matter.

And to arrest the situation, a number of measures have been put in place by successive Comptroller-General of Customs but with limited success. However, the coming on board of Alhaji Abdullahi Dikko Nde, MFR, OFR as the Comptroller-General in August 2009 has changed things for the better for Customs especially in terms of service delivery and public perception. .

Top of the bill of his re-branding effort for the Service so to speak, is the planned 48-hour clearance of goods at the ports which surely would gladden the hearts of importers.

At an interactive session with Business Editors of the leading Nigerian newspapers sometime in April 2011, the comptroller-general of the customs had amongst other illuminations, revealed that nothing favours the Nigerian economy primarily, and the officers and men of the service especially, more than the possibilities 48 hour cargo clearance presents. In the words of Dikko “What a lot of stakeholders on the imports and clearing of cargo in Nigeria do not fully realise is that, it is indeed in the best interest of customs officials for the 48 hours cargo clearance time frame to work.

“We will even be happier if we can do it in 24 hours because it simply means higher remuneration for us. The more cargo we are able to release in 48 hours or even less, the higher our take home is likely to be”.

He is equally breaking new grounds in the area of re-orientation, training and retraining of Customs officers and men towards an improved service delivery.

When the mantle of headship of Nigeria’s second largest revenue earner fell on the seeming fragile shoulders of Alhaji Dikko, not many Nigerians gave him a passing chance at making a success of the challenge he was to take on as the comptroller-general of the Nigerian Customs Service. One year and ten months down the line, Dikko has demonstrated an amazing capability to engineer multi faceted turn – around initiatives that is a sure source of worry and deep seated anxiety and conceit for segment of arm-chair critics who see themselves as the permanent rent seeker of the Nigerian Customs Service.

Not at any other time in the history of customs had there been such level of frenetic activities in the core areas of operation of the service. Presently, no fewer than forty three personnel of the service, saddled primarily with the duty of creating and sustaining a positive and upwardly inclined public perception index for the service are undergoing intensive public relations refresher course in Nigeria. They are going through this exercise for the second time in less than four years!

The CGC had also made it known at various times that today’s customs official can hold his head as quite a lot is expended on trainings and human capacity development. At the last count, no cadre of the service clerks/typists through valuation, intelligence, information communication technology, AYSCUDA etc, anti terrorism, international trade facilitation, leadership and management, e.t.c., that has not undergone specialization courses in the last twenty-two months.

The basis for efficient service delivery is training, provision of conducive work environment and motivation. The customs CGC seemed to have spent useful time prior to his appointment to fashion out a seamless training sequence and module for each area of operation of the customs. One must quickly commend the CGC for his unflinching commitment to the implementation of his six-point agenda for turning the service around. All of these in the face of (sometimes) quite absurd allegations and baseless criticisms.

A solid pointer to the level of commitment of some of the highly motivated operatives the CGC had appointed to man key commands of the service is inherent in the records of these commands. In the months of January to June 2010, the federal operations unit zone ‘A’ Lagos, recorded a total seizure of about one thousand and seventy prohibited items with a total duty paid value of about Nl.l billion. However, with the appointment of Deputy Controller V.D Dimka as head of the command, FOU zone’ A’ has performed even much better. The DC realizing that “to whom much is given, much is expected,” swung into action with a dizzying zeal and singular objective to stamp out smuggling completely. Between December 2010 and Friday June 10th 2011, the command, under his watch made an astounding nine convictions in one thousand six hundred and fifty nine seizures. When computed, the total duty paid value of these seizures stood at about 1.5 billion naira.

If the achievements of D. Dimka and his men appear breathtaking, the CGC is leaving no stone unturned in providing adequate work environment and tools of work. Towards this end, ten brand new patrol vans have just been added to the fleet to enhance effective policing of the areas of coverage of the zone which span Ogun, Oyo, and Lagos States.

The extensive areas of coverage of officers and men of Zone’ A’ FOU, is reason why it is unfortunate when spurious and quite elementary insinuations are bundled around to create the impression that federal operations unit Zone’ A’ is only at the “ports where they tend to pick up containers already released from the Port” for a federal operations unit whose oversight functions transcends the Nigerian Ports of Apapa and Tincan Island, and whose nominal roll of officers and men are in excess of eight hundred, it is indeed quite misleading to create erroneous notions of over saturation of men of the unit at the ports.

Richard Oteri, another Deputy Comptroller of Customs, is the acting Area Comptroller for Ogun State. He assumed duties around February 2011 at the command. In a space of four months, not only has the revenue profile of Ogun command of the Nigerian Customs Service shot up by over 370% when compared with the same time period in 2010, the enforcement activities as led by this completely well rounded customs man have forced even dare devil die hard smugglers that used to litter that horizon of the Ogun Command to finally realize that it is no longer business as usual.

It was an elated Oteri who excitedly informed close allies recently of the unheard of “over one hundred and fifty vehicle duty certification” issued by his command to operators who voluntarily came forward to declare their vehicles and present the documents of same for duty processing. “Our brothers who clear vehicles here are finally beginning to see the light, imagine that in only one week here, we have issued duty certificates for over a hundred and fifty vehicles”. He said.

At the Tincan Island Customs Command, the out-going customs comptroller, Austen Warikoru had in the last 365 days plus, written his name in gold in the history of the command. From a very turbulent beginning as CAC, Warikoru in the face of harrowing oppositions from operations who would rather “do business as usual” painstakingly identified, and went on to plug nearly every area of revenue leakage in the nations (even west coast’s) second busiest port. This instantly pitched him against “established forces of Tincan”. But undeterred, Warikoru took the revenue profile of Tincan Island from a monthly average of 11 billion Naira, first to 14 billion and ultimately to the present nearly 16 billion monthly.

A cursory perusal of activities across all of the four zones and forty three command structure of the Service presently reflects a quantum leap in service delivery. Alhaji Dikko had made it known to all his men that it is time to “Sit it up and perform or ship out”. As an administrator the CGC is making a very eloquent statement about his mission and vision for the Nigerian Customs Service.

In his words “The whole essence of the massive training programmes and attitudinal re- orientation of the officers and men of the Nigerian custom is to have a world class service, peopled by men of high personal and professional integrity imbued with the core values of best practices. We have set an unusually high moral and professional grounds for ourselves, we have requested for and have been granted a wide latitude by the federal government, I intend to deliver with a view to justifying the confidence reposed in our capabilities by the president, Commander-In-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces”. Happy days are indeed here at last.

Yomi Olomofe wrote from Lagos.

Yomi Olamofe

Issues

Investing In Nyesom Wike: A Story Of Dedication, Sacrifice And Ultimate Loss

Published

3 weeks ago

April 10, 2024

The Tide

In 2015, I made a conscious decision to invest my financial resources, my time, and energy into supporting Nyesom Wike’s gubernatorial campaign. I poured my heart and soul into ensuring Nyesom Wike emerged victorious even at the risk of my personal safety.
Again in 2019, I doubled down on my commitment. I invested a significant amount of money to procure campaign outfits for all twenty-three Local Governments Areas of Rivers State. I spared no expense in supplementing Wike’s election efforts in my own local government, and once again putting myself at great risk to safeguard the fairness and transparency of the electoral process.
However, despite my unwavering loyalty and sacrifices, I found myself abandoned and forgotten by Wike. Throughout his eight-year tenure, he failed to acknowledge my contributions or fulfill his promises and agreements. Even as a former Deputy Governor, Wike denied me my severance benefit.
My investment in Wike’s governorship was not just financial – it was a commitment of passion, dedication, and belief in a better future for Rivers State. Yet, his leadership style of dishonesty, greed, drunkenness and rash abuse of senior citizens brought me nothing but disappointment, misery and losses.
By the grace of God, today I speak not as a victim, but as a hero. I have accepted my losses, and I have moved on. And as I reflect on my experience, I cannot help but urge Wike to do the same and allow peace and development to reign in Rivers State.
Nyesom Wike, when you speak of investing in Governor Sim Fubara’s election, remember those like me who also invested in you. Remember the sacrifices I made, the risks I took, and the promises and agreements you left unfulfilled.
It is time for you, Wike, to let go of the past and allow Governor Sim Fubara the breathing space he needs to lead Rivers State forward. Allow him to focus on the challenges of good governance and the aspirations of the people. Spare him these unwarranted and ill-conceived political manoeuvrings founded on personal agenda and not for general good of Rivers State and her people.
I may have lost my investment on Wike, but I have not lost hope in the future of Rivers State. And together, we will continue to strive for a brighter tomorrow.
Long Live the Governor to Rivers State, Sir Siminialayi Fubara!
Long Live the Good People of Rivers State!!
Long Live the Federal Republic of Nigeria!!!
Engr Ikuru is former Deputy Governor of Rivers State.

Tele Ikuru

Issues

Is Okocha A Happy Man Being Perpetual Hireling?

Published

1 month ago

March 15, 2024

The Tide

The man Tony Okocha, the devastated tattered ragtag remnant Rivers APC factional, but Caretaker, Chairman, is known for being notoriously a hireling willing to play in the mud just for the pay or settlement. To Rt Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, he did against Chief Nyesom Wike. To Senator Magnus Abe, he did against Rotimi Amaechi. To Chief Nyesom Wike, he did against Magnus Abe. Having maintained such unbefitting character trait, it is not surprising to see him at his demeaned best showing off his tainted skill of grandstanding and loquaciously struggling fruitlessly almost every day to castigate the popular Rivers people’s Governor with very glaring false, bogus and unsubstantiated claims such as:
1. That Governor Fubara is wasting state fund in the name of thanksgiving across 23 Local Government Areas.
2. That Governor Fubara has withheld Local Government funds.
3. That Governor Fubara runs the government without input from the State Executive Council.
4. That nothing is happening in the State with respect to governance.
To the above false claims of Tony Okocha, every reasonable, right thinking and well-meaning Rivers person would effortlessly puncture all as rascality and mendacity taken too far.
Apart from the fact that Governor Siminalayi Fubara had said he is not sponsoring the massive SIMplified Movement Thanksgiving events across the Local Government Areas of the State being organised by elated Rivers people who feel liberated from an era of overbearing and suppressive form of leadership in the State, Tony Okocha should be asked to prove his false claim with indisputable facts and figures. Until then, let Tony Okocha respect himself and learn to keep quiet as an elderly person who is saddled with such a responsible position as Rivers State Representative in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) Board. A position that places a huge responsibility on him to ensure that the core objectives of the commission are actualised in the State, by not only ensuring that Rivers State gets its fair share of its dues in terms of projects, programmes and activities, but by synergising with the state government on development matters concerning the state vis-a-vis the responsibilities of NDDC to the State. In summary, the SIMplified Movement is all about a happy and joyful people of Rivers State who have decided to stand and stick together to defend and uphold their common heritage and patrimony. It is a voluntary venture, not sponsored by the government.
To his claim that the Governor has withheld Local Government funds, Mr Tony Okocha should also be asked to prove that with facts and figures and explain why the Governor would do such. More so, what is Tony Okocha’s business, assuming, but not conceding, that a PDP Governor withholds money against PDP-led 23 Local Government authorities? Did Local Government workers across the state complain to Okocha, the meddlesome hireling, an acclaimed APC Caretaker Committee Chairman in Rivers State?
On his ignorant and false claim that the Governor runs the government without input from the state exco, Okocha, the busybody wannabe should explain how he was employed or engaged as the spokesperson of members of the Rivers State Executive Council. He should also tell us his source of information to that effect, if it is not just a proof that he is making himself known as a perpetually irredeemable hireling notoriously good for playing the spoiler’s role.
On Mr Okocha’s assertion, probably, borne out of lack of more convincing lies, that nothing is happening in the State with respect to governance, is sure a proof that the man is only acting a bad and an unsellable script to justify the reward of expected gratifying filthy lucre, which is the compelling reason for condescending so low and evilly so. How else is governance measured, if not by executing meaningful and impactful projects, giving hope, inspiring and putting smiles on the faces of the people with joy of fulfilment in their hearts, both civil servants and everyone living and doing business in the State? Is Okocha blind to see and deaf to hear of the good works of the Governor Fubara led Rivers State Government? Civil servants are happy, teachers are highly elated. Several projects are ongoing. Investors are trooping in. The health sector, education, agriculture, sports have been highly boosted under Governor Fubara-led administration. To Okocha, there’s no governance in the State because patronage of free money is not getting to him from the Governor but from other sources that are likely against the Governor.
Let Tony Okocha weep more. Rivers State is breathing fresh air already and is liberated.
Let Tony Okocha tell us how he has, so far, as Rivers State Representative in the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), clearly effected development in the State through the NDDC, and why he lied that there was Cholera outbreak with deaths recorded in Soku in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area with the intent of raking in about ¦ N5billion for non-existent mitigation programmes?

Odike is Special Assistant to Rivers State Governor on Social/New Media .

Bernard C. Idike

Issues

Day Asari-Toru Declared Massive Support For Fubara

Published

2 months ago

March 11, 2024

The Tide

Franklin Delano Roosevelt, commonly known as FDR, was an American statesman and politician who served as the 32nd President of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. He was a member of the Democratic Party and is the only United States President to have served more than two terms.
In one of his popular quotes, he said, “The creed of our democracy is that liberty is acquired and kept by men and women who are strong and self-reliant, and possessed of such wisdom as God gives mankind – men and women who are just, and understanding, and generous to others — men and women who are capable of disciplining themselves. For they are the rulers and they must rule themselves.”
This explains the recent gathering of creme la creme of Asari-Toru political gladiators converged at the inauguration of the Simplified Movement, ASALGA chapter to reiterate their unflinching support for the Rivers State Governor, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara whose mantra revolves around liberation.
The event which took place at the Autograph in Port Harcourt on the 1st of March, 2024, to galvanise strong support for Governor Fubara attracted over 500 members of the Simplified Movement from the Asari-Toru Local Government Area of Rivers State.
The gathering of supporters of Governor Fubara’s government, under the umbrella of the Simplified Movement, the ASALGA chapter led by an astute politician, former member of the Federal House of Representatives and two- time member of the Rivers State Executive Council as Commissioner, Chief Hon. Paworiso Samuel Horsfall comprised both the old and young generation political helmsmen drawn from all the 13 Wards of the local government area.
The nerve-““““““wracking gathering had the likes of the 1999 democratic system pioneer Chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Council and former two-time Special Adviser to ex-Governor Nyesom Wike, Hon. Opakirite Mackson Jackreece; former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Adokiye Young-Harry; former member of the State House of Assembly, Hon. Daisy West and former Special Adviser to ex-Governor Nyesom Wike, Chief Hon. Iboroma Norman Wokoma.
Others were the incumbent Vice Chairman of Asari-Toru Local Government Council, Hon. (Mrs.) Tekena Wokoma; former Commissioner of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, Hon. Dr. Hope Barango; the South-West Vice Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Sule Amachree and the Secretary of the Local Government chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Cladious Princewill; former Chief of Staff of Council, Hon. Ajumogobia West and former Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), ASALGA, Hon. Onari Awo Tariah.
Also present at the event were past caretaker committee chairmen of the Local Government Council including, Hon. Waite Harry, Hon. Dawari Hamilton Ibinabo, Hon. Wright Warmate and former Deputy Mayor of the Port Harcourt City Council, Hon. Adokiye Horsfall amongst others. My humble self belongs to the movement. The list is inexhaustible.
Speaking at the inauguration, the member representing Asari-Toru/Akuku-Toru Federal Constituency and leader of the Asari-Toru political family, Hon. Boma Goodhead assured the people of the commitment of the Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara to extend visible dividends of democracy to the people of ASALGA.
The federal lawmaker who spoke through her representative, Dr. Sule Amachree, said Governor Fubara means well for Rivers people, particularly the people of ASALGA and urged them to remain calm, peaceful and resolute in their support to the administration of the State Governor.
“His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara is the Governor ordained by God to liberate Rivers people from the snares of poverty and oppression. He is God-sent to bring visible and even development to Rivers State and Asari-Toru people are on the top of that agenda of development,” she said.
Hon. Goodhead reiterated her confidence in the capacity of the leader of the Simplified Movement, ASALGA chapter, Chief Hon. Paworiso Samuel Horsfall to mobilise massive support and a huge source of encouragement for the Government of Sir Siminalayi Fubara to succeed.
“I urge you to continue to stand firm with our Governor. Be rest assured that His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara is a man of peace, focused and determined to deliver on the mandate given to him by the people of Rivers State. He will not fail you,” she said.
In his speech, the leader of the ASALGA chapter of the Simplified Movement, Chief Hon. Paworiso Samuel Horsfall described the movement as a child of necessity born out of the hunger of Rivers people for a paradigm shift from oppression to liberation.
“As witnessed across the length and breadth of Rivers State, the Simplified Movement is a child of necessity, born out of the hunger for a paradigm shift from oppression to liberation, with one core objective to promote and defend the interests of Rivers State and her people. It is on this account, we stand as dependable allies giving strong support to the Executive Governor, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara in his pursuit of peace and commitment to the genuine development of Rivers State.
“It is our position that with the elections come and gone, it is practically a time to face governance and to ensure deliverables of dividends to the people of Rivers State in the atmosphere of peace, security and stability,” he said.
Chief Samuel Horsfall explained that Rivers people saw the leadership qualities needed to achieve the sole objective to genuinely defend and promote the interest of the State in Governor Fubara, hence the spontaneous massive support expressed in the birth of the Simplified Movement.
He recounted avalanche of achievements made by Governor Fubara within six months in office. “We appreciate the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara for his resilience and determination to make a difference. It is on record and attestable by all, the numerous projects being executed by his administration.
“Such as the ongoing construction of the gigantic Port Harcourt Ring Road project, the 20,000 housing units for low income earners, the Ogoni-Andoni-Opobo-Nkoro Unity road, the near completion of the 10km Old Port Harcourt-Bori road, the Emohua-Kalabari road, the 6.5km Woji-Alesa-Refinery link road and the inclusion of the remaining part of the Trans-Kalabari road project in the 2024 budget. “Moreover, the promotion of the State civil servants, first time in history payment of N100,000.00 Christmas bonus to civil servants across board, approval of promotions and implementation of N30,000.00 minimum wage for local government workers and the N4 billion single digit interest loans facility for Small and Medium Scale business operators in Rivers State. All these achievements within six months in office are eloquent testimonies of Governor Fubara to deliberately improve the welfare of Rivers people.
“We are convinced that such a proven great mind and well experienced, tested and trusted administrator/technocrat, Governor Fubara has demonstrated the capacity to deliver effectively the needed democratic dividends to Rivers people. It is on this convention we are gathered here for the umpteenth time to reaffirm our unalloyed support and commitment to his administration,” Chief Samuel Horsfall declared.
He disclosed that the gathering was to put in place citizens mobilisation strategy to forge a collaborative bond with the Governor to foster partnership for the development of ASALGA and the State. He, therefore, advised those he called detractors of Governor Fubara’s administration to desist forthwith and allow the Governor to remain focused in his quest to deliver on his mandate.
“All detractors should desist from further attacks on the Governor and the Chief of Staff, Government House, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie and allow the Governor to focus on the delivery of the good policies and programmes to Rivers people. We unequivocally condemn attempts by disgruntled Abuja politicians to employ intimidation antics against the former Speaker of the 10th State Assembly and current Chief of Staff, Government House, Rt. Hon. Edison Ehie and others who are standing on the path of justice and good conscience for the collective good of Rivers State.
“We equally urge the Nigerian Police and other security agencies to be discreet in the discharge of their constitutional responsibilities in the State and not to allow themselves to be used by selfish individuals who do not mean well to fuel political crisis in Rivers State.
Chief Samuel Horsfall also commended the federal lawmaker, Hon. Boma Goodhead for her doggedness and resilience in supporting Governor Fubara since the wake of the political crisis in the State.
Several other personalities spoke to express their support to the State Governor and urged the people to ASALGA to maintain their peaceful disposition and remain steadfast in the Simplified Movement to give the state government maximum support to continue to render good governance to Rivers people.
Highlights of the event were the inauguration of the elders and stakeholders of the Simplified Movement for the 13 Wards as well as the executive committee of the movement in Asari-Toru Local Government Area.