The Comptroller-General of Customs, Colonel Hameed Ali (rtd), has said that all officers in the Nigerian Customs Services are under close watch and will be punished if found guilty of corruption.
He noted that there would be no favoritism during posting as any officers who has occupied a position in a unit for three years can be transferred.
Ali said this when he visited the FCT command on Tuesday in Abuja, adding that, no more permanent posting to unit commands and departments in the service, adding that every officer in Customs must work to earn promotion.
Ali emphasised the need for officers to imbibe discipline in carrying out their duties and shun corruption.
“All officers are under close watch because if any mistake is done by any unit command, it will register internationally and that is not good for the image of the service.
“The general view of the public is that customs is the most undisciplined and corrupt service because of the nature of our job that needs to be addressed.
“You are not in customs to make money and enrich yourself but to work hard because if you are caught you must face the law.
“None of you should make me use you as an example; if your intention is to be corrupt then you cannot survive this time around.
“No more god-fatherism in Customs; you will earn promotion, not get promotion and for you to earn it, you must attain the qualification based on performance evaluation,” Ali said.
Ali said that officers’ welfare would be upgraded and urged them to work hard in carrying out their duties to boost the service revenues.
The customs boss said that the service was doing everything possible to meet its 2015 revenue target set by the Federal Government.
“We (Customs) are working hard to meet our set target by the Federal Government which is N944 billion for 2015.
“We are hopeful of that and with the cooperation of all segments in our industry, commitment of people and now with the new management we have gotten in place, I am optimistic that we would achieve our goal.
“Fighting corruption, let me say, is not the job of customs alone; it is not the job of police; it is a job for everybody.
“So if we as individuals are ready to rid our minds of corruption, I am sure our jobs would be very easy.
“Enforcement is again the second option; we must enforce; there must be punishment for infraction and reward for those who comply,” Ali added.
Ali also visited the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC); National Environmental Standard and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), and the Federal Inland Revenue Service.
He said the essence of the visit to the stakeholders was to further strengthen collaboration between the agencies to achieve a common goal of improving the economy.
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