Business
NCSU Pickets GTB Over Account Freeze
The Nigerian Civil Service Union (NCSU), Federal Capital Territory Council, yesterday picketed Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) over alleged freezing of accounts belonging to the union members.
The picketing exercise which lasted for few hours disrupted commercial activities at the Area 3 branch in the FCT.
Secretary General of the union, FCT Council, Mr Prince Sani, told newsmen in Abuja that the freezing of the union’s account by the bank was uncalled for.
“Three days ago, we wanted to access our account and we realised that a restriction has been placed on the account by the bank without a valid court order.
“They also presented a letter to us by a public trustee and I think we as a council, we are not in any court case with any organisation or anybody.
“Courtesy also demands that if our account should be frozen, even the bank has a duty to tell us, because this is a bank we have been operating with for the past 12 years,” he said.
Sani also noted that this was not the first time that the GTB had frozen the union account.
He said there was a similar case about two years ago in which the bank apologised and no legal action was taken against them.
“The same thing has repeated itself again and it is because we did not sue them at that time.
“Because before you freeze an account there must be a court order. We felt that this is wrong and that we should inform them.
“We therefore wrote an official letter to them, in which we, the federal administrative members including the council chairman, were here yesterday (Monday) to deliver the letter.
“We told them that yesterday (Monday) that if the bank account was not unfrozen by the end of yesterday, we will picket the bank today.
“We told them that if bank account was also not unfrozen by the end of today, we will picket GTB nationwide,” he said.
The Tide recallsthat the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) recently appointed a Public Trustee to run the affairs of the union.
The appointment was made following the nullification of the council’s January 2018 National Delegates Conference in which the Lawrence Amaechi-led executive was elected.
The Public Trustee, Mr Monday Ubani, had assumed duty since January 21.
Reacting, an official source at the GTB told The Tide source that the bank had placed a restriction order on the account of the union acting on a NICN order.
“The court appointed a public trustee that will manage the affairs of the union since they can’t leave it without executives.
“The public trustee that was appointed was a man called Mr Ubani.
“Since one of the mandates the court gave him was to oversee the finances of the union, he then asked that there should be a restriction of the account of the union so that he will be able to do an audit.
“There is a restriction on the account so that he will be able to perform the audit.
“We are civil people, we have allowed them to disrupt our business but we hope that Mr Ubani will take care of things so that we can do our business,’’ the GTB source said.
For officers and men of the Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the battle is not over until smuggling is over.
In the wake of Wednesday May, 8, 2024, the ever vigilant officers, acting on a tip-off, intercepted 177 sacks and 61 kegs of 25 litres containing petroleum products, valued at about N8.750,000million.
The items were intercepted along Isalu Creek, Badagry Waterway en-route Benin Republic.
While briefing newsmen, the Command’s Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Paul Bamisaiye, said: “This seizure is most economically significant to the Command at this period of scarcity of Petroleum Products, especially Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in our cities, and shows the anticipatory posture in our response to economic saboteurs.
“At about 2:330hrs on Wednesday 8th May 2024, while on joint patrol by teams in the Command, credible intelligence was received of the movement of 2 boats laden with what was suspected to be petroleum products concealed in sacks. Upon receipt of the information, the team moved into Isalu creeks, Badagry waterway.
“On sighting the approach of the Officers, the smugglers took to their heels through the shore of the Creek. The loaded boats were then towed to the station at Badagry where preliminary examination was conducted and transferred to Western Marine Command Headquarters, Ibafon, Apapa, Lagos.
“Careful examination at the Command Headquarters revealed that the arrest was found to contain One Hundred and Seventy Seven (177) Sacks and Sixty One (61) Kegs of 25 Litres Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) containing Twelve Thousand Five Hundred (12,500) Liters with a total Duty Paid Value standing at Eight Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Naira (N8,750,000) only”.
Bamisaiye noted that the action of the smugglers is a contravention of Section 245 & 254 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023 which the service, through Western Marine Command, is responsible for enforcing.
“The Command, under the leadership of Compt. PK Bamisaiye, is poised more than ever to rid the waterways of all acts of smuggling and economy sabotage for the benefit of the growth of economy of Nigeria”, he said
Bamisaiye said so far, no suspect was arrested in the Command’s anti-smuggling operations.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
Petroleum products being sought by motorists have disappeared from virtually all filling stations within Lagos and its environs, but are now booming in business in retail outlets.
Investigations by our correspondent revealed that while the product could not be got at some of the petrol service stations, activities are in top gear in the local retail outlets where the price has gone beyond the reach of users.
It was also gathered that in some filling stations supplied with the products, preference are often given to retail outlet operators by petrol attendants against the consuming public.
A source, directly involved in the business, said some petrol dealers are cashing on the irregular supply to divert the products to retail outlets where they could easily make their gains.
It was also gathered that some sales representatives in the service of major oil marketing firms indulged in the diversion exercise because of their personal interest.
At the retail outlets a liter goes for N950,00 against the normal N760,to N800 at some stations.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
The Nigeria Customs Service Board (NCSB) has confirmed the appointment of five Deputy Comptroller-Generals (DCGs) and eight Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACGs) of Customs during its 59th regular meeting.
The meeting, chaired by the Honorable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, was held at the Nigeria Customs Service Headquarters in Abuja last Tuesday.
National Public Relations Officer of the Service, Chief Superintendent of Customs, Abdullahi Maiwada, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, gave details of the confirmed appointments as: O.O. Peters (DCG /Commander, Training and Doctrine Command (rtd); B.M. Jibo (DCG Enforcement Inspection & Investigation); and B.U. Nwanfor (DCG Excise, Free Trade Zone & Industrial Incentives).
Others are: S.A. Bomia (DCG, Commander Training and Doctrine Command); and C.K. Niagwan (DCG, Tariff & Trade).
The Assistant Comptrollers General (ACGs) are: B. Imam (ACG Board); A.A.S. Oloyede (ACG, Trade & Tariff); S.K. Dangaldima (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘B’); A. Abdul Azeez (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘D’); S.A. Yusuf (ACG, Human Resource Development); N.P. Umoh (ACG, Training and Doctrine Command); C.O. Obih (ACG/Zonal Coordinator, Zone ‘C’); and S. Chiroma (ACG, Strategic Research and Policy).
The new appointments, according to the statement, were made to fill the vacancies created by some senior officers who recently retired from the Service, noting that the principles of federal character, seniority and merit guided the appointments approved by the board.
“These appointments are a testament to the officers’ exemplary services and dedication to the Nigeria Customs Service. The NCSB remains committed to providing strategic leadership to ensure effective and efficient service delivery for optimum performance”, he said.
While thanking the retired members of the management for their meritorious services, the Comptroller General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, congratulated the newly confirmed officers and charged them to redouble their efforts to ensure the service attains greater heights in its mandates of revenue generation, suppression of smuggling, and trade facilitation amongst others.
Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos
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