Dire consequences await any personnel of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), who reports to work later than 8.00am and departs from work earlier than 4.30pm.
The warning came from Comptroller-General of Customs Dikko Inde Abdullahi, who, it was learnt, is sorely worried about persisting reports reaching his office of the tendency of some Customs personnel to and depart early from work.
Consequently, Abdullahi bared his mind on the issue via a recent circular, a copy of which was sighted by SHIPS & PORTS DAILY.
Circular No. 05/2013, which was titled OBSERVED LATE REPORTING AND EARLY DEPARTURE FROM WORK, bore reference number NCS/MGT/015/S.21/C/VOL.9, and was addressed “to ALL OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE SERVICE.”
Dated February 27, 2013, the document, which was signed on behalf of the Comptroller-General by the Assistant Comptroller-General, Customs Headquarters, Abuja, Tahir Musa, read: “The Comptroller-General of Customs has observed with dismay the attitude of some officers and men of the Service who are in the habit of reporting late to work and leaving the office by 4pm.
“For avoidance of doubt, you are all reminded that resumption time is 8am while closing time is 4.30pm.
“I am directed to warn that any officer or man of the Service found wanting in this regard would henceforth be appropriately sanctioned.”
Meanwhile, yet again, the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has raised alarm over increasing rate of job scammers operating fake websites using the name of the Service.
These scammers-operated websites are in addition to various fake Facebook accounts in the name of the Comptroller-General of Customs.
According to a press statement signed by the Service Public Relations Officer, Deputy Comptroller Wale Adeniyi, the websites are being used to defraud unsuspecting innocent Nigerians for phantom offers of job placement in the Service, auction sales of vehicles and contracts.
Adeniyi noted that in some cases, fictitious names of supposedly recruited candidates waiting for training are published at such websites as bait.
Adeniyi explained that the Service has not conducted any recruitment exercise since those held in 2009 and 2011, noting that any purported list of recruited candidates seen anywhere is fake and did not emanate from the Service.
“Unfortunately many Nigerians have continued to fall prey to these elements despite our several previous disclaimers. Some positioning themselves as activists have even gone to town with a cry of nepotism against the management of the Service after seeing one of the fake lists being brandished on these illegal websites,” Adeniyi said.
He added: “Recruitment process into the Service starts with advertisement of vacancies in print and electronic media, as well as the Service website www.customs.gov.ng, this is followed by examination/ interview, training of successful candidates and deployment. The process recognises only the Federal Character principle of geographical spread. The Nigeria Customs Service is an equal opportunity employer that recruits candidates irrespective of gender, religion or tribe as being alleged by one Ndiameeeh Bareek in the Pointblank blog.”
The Customs spokesperson, therefore, advised members of the public to be suspicious of any offer of Customs-related job placement, auction sales and contract awards, especially through the Internet, urging that such offers be reported to the nearest Customs formation.
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