Will improved welfare curb corruption in Customs?

I do not think improved welfare will control corruption in Customs because one cannot treat corruption independently from Nigeria. So if one want to talk of corruption in Customs, one have to first of all treat corruption in Nigeria. It cannot be done by improving their welfare alone, solving the problem has to start from the people in authority from Presidency to the Senate, House of Assembly and so on. Tackling corruption in Customs is therefore a waste of time, there has to be determined effort by the government at the highest level to tackle corruption. To do this, they must ensure that relevant laws are put in place to eradicate corruption.

Corruption has become the order of the day especially at the control of affairs in this country. I know that the government is doing a lot so that they can reduce the scourge in the service but I will say improving on their welfare cannot reduce corruption, there must be a lot of checkmating; government should put a lot of things in place to make sure that the assets of the officers are checked, just like is been done in other agencies.

Chukwudi Ike

Curbing corruption in the Nigeria Customs Service is not an easy task and it cannot be taken in isolation. Even if the government do all they can to satisfy the officers for them to continue to work effectively, there will still be corruption in the Service. I think what the government can do is to enforce the laws that are enacted to fight corrupt practices.

Corruption is systemic in Nigeria. The policies, regulations of government and the laws of imports and exports create the environment for corruption. Corruption in Customs is a reflection of happenings in the larger Nigerian society. If the government improve on the welfare of the Customs officers, it will not necessarily translate to a reduction or elimination of corruption in the service because corruption is as a result of the greed of human beings and of course the uncertainty of the future because people want to have more money aside the job at hand and will go to any length to get it. Government can come up with new laws that are strict of dealing with officers that are engaging in bribery and other illicit ways of making money; this I believe will help curb corruption in the service.

Improved welfare for Customs officers will not reduce corruption. No matter how much is being paid to the officers, it will not stop corruption because it has been in existence for a long period. It does not only exist among Customs, it cuts across different organisations and agencies. Government need to put somethings in place like scanners at the port; cameras at examination points. These are what the government need to put in place and there must be full automation of agencies to checkmate the corrupt tendencies of Customs in the service.