Confusion in Customs as newly retired officers fail to go

It has emerged that the recently retired officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) are still in the service because of the absence a board that should rectify and approve their retirement.

Vanguard sources said that the retired officers still resume work normally, though not in their uniform.

According to the Customs And Excise Management Act (CEMA), the Comptroller-General of Customs does not have the powers to retire or promote certain level of officers without recourse to the board.

However, the service spokesman, Mr. Adewale Adeniyi, denied the report, stating that the new management of the Customs service has been inaugurated.

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.”

According to the section 5 of the CEMA, the board shall be subject to the control of the Minister of Finance in the exercise of powers and duties.

The board's other functions include the formulation of general policy guidelines for the service, administering the CEMA accordingly.

It also has the power to promote, transfer and confirm appointments and dismiss persons and exercise other disciplinary action over person so appointed.