There is palpable tension and fear among senior officers of the Nigeria Customs Service as the Comptroller General of Customs, Hameed Ali has began fresh moves to demote officers from the rank of Deputy Comptrollers and Assistant Comptrollers whose educational qualification do not merit their rank.
Recall that the Ali had during his maiden visit to commands in Lagos maintained that promotion of officers would be merit-based even as he hinted of an imminent review of recent promotions carried out by his predecessor.
Following this, the Customs management has taken steps to enforce this directive given the affected officers only 10 days to present their letters of first appointment and credentials at the time of employment to the Deputy Comptroller General, Human Resource Development for verification.
The development SHIPS & PORTS DAILY gathered is causing panic among the affected officers especially those who rose through the rank of DC’s and AC’s with a lower qualification than required.
“The situation is tense because virtually some officers will be affected,” an Assistant Controller, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent.
The directive, a copy of which was sighted by SHIPS & PORTS DAILY was signed by Deputy Comptroller General, Human Resource Development, Austin Warikoru, on behalf of the Customs Comptroller General.
Dated April 15, 2016, the circular was addressed to all Deputies Comptroller General, Assistants Comptroller General, Zonal Coordinators, Area Controllers, Comptrollers, Federal Operations Units, Marine Commands and Commandants, Customs Training College, Kano and Lagos and Heads of Customs units.
Titled: circular number HRD/2016/19 APPOINTMENT AND CERTIFICATE VERIFICATION EXERCISE OF DEPUTY COMPTROLLERS AND ASSISTANT COMPTROLLERS, the circular stated:
“I am directed to request you to inform all Deputy Comptrollers and Assistant Comptrollers working in your department, zones, units and commands to present the under listed documents to the DCG (HRD) through your various offices – Letter of First Appointment, Qualification certificate (s) at the time of employment and evidence of conversion/upgrading if any.
“You will please ensure that the originals are personally sighted while the officers concerned will append their signatures in your presence on all documents being submitted for onward transmission to headquarters.
“These documents must get to the DCG HRD on or before Monday 25th of April 2016 unfailingly,” the circular stated.
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