The National President, National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Mr. Lucky Amiwero, has accused the Comptroller-General of Customs, Hameed Ali, of usurping the powers of the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Customs Service Board.
Amiwero said that with the non-constitution of the Customs Board, Ali has been taking certain policy decisions, which only the board has powers to take.
In a paper presented during a three-day training programme for maritime journalists in Lagos under the Federated Maritime Media Chapel (FMMC) last week, he told participants that the Customs Board is under the control, management and direction of the Minister of Finance as provided by the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA).
He berated the current administration of President Muhammadu Buhari of failing to constitute the Customs board halfway into its four-year tenure.
He said, “The NCS Board is a statutory Board, which confers on the Minister of Finance Power to constitute the Board as Contained in section 2-(2) and gave the Minister power of organization/persons mentioned in (g-h) and (i) for appointment after consultation with various ministries and organization.
Section 5-(1) in the exercise of power and duties conferred upon the Board, the Board shall be subject to the authority, direction and control of the Minister and any written direction, order or instruction given by him after consultation with the Comptroller-General.”
He cited Section 4(2) of the CEMA as part of the powers of the Minister “to appoint persons to hold or act in all the office in the service, including persons to make appointment on promotion or transfer and to confirm appointment and to dismiss and exercise other disciplinary control over persons appointed in pursuant to paragraph (a) of this section”.
According to him, Ali had taken many decisions that contravene the Customs law in terms of dismissal, appointment and promotion of Customs officers.
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