Confusion In Customs As Newly Retired Officers Sit-Tight

customsA mild confusion is reportedly playing out in the Nigeria Customs Service over the refusal of the recently retired officers of the Service to vacate their offices.

In line with the ongoing efforts to reposition the NCS, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), had on Tuesday approved the appointment of six acting Deputy Comptrollers-General of Customs (NCS) to take over from those who last week retired.

He equally redeployed seven officers in the reorganizing exercise.

However, it was learnt that the retired officers are still in the service of the agency following the absence of a board that should rectify and approve their retirement.

The same reason was also adduced for the newly promoted officers, who cannot take over their offices as there is no board to rectify the promotions.

Quoting sources at the service, Vanguard reports that the retired officers still come to work but not in their uniform.

It was gathered that the officers cannot leave the system because in the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA), the Comptroller-General of Customs lacks the powers to retire or promote certain level of officers without recourse to the board.

While the retirees cannot leave their offices, the newly promoted officers cannot take over.

Meanwhile, the spokesman for the NCS, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, has denied the development, saying the new management of the Customs service has been inaugurated.

He said at the inauguration, all the newly promoted officers were in attendance.

He said: “This cannot be true. The new management was inaugurated Wednesday with all the acting new Deputy Comptrollers-General of Customs, (DCGs) and Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACGs) zonal coordinators in attendance”.