July 19th, 2010

CGC TOURS CUSTOMS FORMATION IN ZONE B CHARGES OFFICERS AND MEN TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE

The morale of Customs Officers and Men of Kano/Jigawa and Kaduna/Katsina Commands received a boost as the Comptroller-General of Customs Dikko Inde Abdullahi MFR paid a two day working visits to Customs posts within the two Commands.

While in Kano, the CGC had a parley with mostly junior men and women of the Service charging them to redouble their efforts to proof to Nigerians that the Service can be trusted to deliver best practices.

He promised to do more to ensure that they are comfortable as this will be a justifiable reason to expect maximum performance.

To the business community, he advised strict compliance with the Prohibition List. He said- Laws are meant to be obeyed. “if tomorrow, these items are removed from Prohibition List, we will have no reason to seize them”.

The Comptroller-General commissioned Kano training College administrative building and blocks of flats at Dakata Customs Barracks, Kano.

At Maigatari Border in Jigawa State the CGC frowned at the dilapidated nature of the buildings used as residence. He therefore directed the Customs Area Controller to bring to his office within one week, the cost of renovating the buildings immediately.

He admonished a combined team of Customs, Police, Immigration and other Security Operatives who came to welcome him to see their present condition at the border as a necessary sacrifice they have to make to build the Nigeria we all dream of.

Since they are the first contact with any person coming into the country through that point, the Comptroller-General charged them to be courteous but uncompromising on ensuring compliance with the Laws of the land.

At Katsina, he commissioned a clinic built by the Customs Area Controller Dangaladima . To ensure safety of seized goods he directed the Controller to apply for special authority to incur expenditure (AIE) to repair the bad roof.

At Jibiya border station he called for extra vigilance especially as 2011 general elections draws near, insisting that our borders must be tight to prevent those who do not wish this country well import arms and other dangerous items for Political thuggery.

"All imports must be properly scrutinized and duty collected on dutiable items while contrabands seized and offenders brought to book" he said.
He reminded them that the capacity of the management team to continue to improve on their welfare is dependent on revenue collected into the Federation account since the Service is self funding through the 7% cost of collection.

The CGC’s entourage included Garba Markafi, the Assistant Comptroller-General in-charge of Finance, Administration and Technical Services (FATS) and Comptrollers of Customs Command in Zone 'B'