The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Comptroller General

  • Immigration to begin compulsory registration of migrants

    … Minister will engage governors, traditional rulers, others, says Babandede
    … Switzerland, Netherlands, Germany, IOM, others support process
    … Launches training centre

    All migrants who have stayed more than 90 days in Nigeria are now required to get registered to avoid heavy sanction, the Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Muhammed Babandede, revealed on Thursday.

    Babandede said this in Abuja at the launching of the NIS training curriculum for personnel training resource centres which will service as migrant’s registration centre.

    Approval to commence the registration of migrants, Babandede said was given last year by President Muhammadu Buhari, adding that: “but we felt it is not enough to start inviting migrants to register until we prepare our staff, get equipments and sensitize the public before the commencement.”

    He also cautioned Nigerians that provides accommodation to migrants to educate them on the need for them to obey and get registered.

    Before the commencement date for the registration which was not disclosed, Babandede said that: “We hope that by next week the Minister of Interior will provide leadership and engage state governors and Traditional Rulers on the need to get migrants registered.This is the right way to start. We need the support of all state governors. Migrants resides in the states and the FCT. President Muhammadu Buhari has given incentives for people who are going to register.”

    His words: “No money will be paid by any migrant to be registered. It is going to be free. No migrant will be asked to pay. What we have commissioned today is very strategic for the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), development.

    “The training centre is going to be training centre for all our form of training. We are not going to rely on officers going to physical training institutions. It is selfmultivaterd and each individual will go there to read, do training, seat examination and pass. Is an online development.

    “This we are going to replicate in any state of the federation. This one is funded by the donors headed by the International Organization for Migration, (IOM). We want to immediately use the training centre for migrant registration. Approval was given by President Muhammadu Buhari last year.

    “And we have been able to get equipment, a training centre, officers have been trained for training centers. The software have been concluded. It will be rolled out in each state of the federation. The donors are supporting all the states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), but we will have two additional centers which is Lagos and Kano. This means that NIS is prepared IT base. People do not need to come the the NIS office for registration. You will register online but before we take your biometrics, you will complete and upload all the documents required. Then by the time you come to the NIS office, we will just take your biometrics, take your photograph and allow you to go.

    “It is intended for anybody who is not a Citizen of Nigeria and who has entered our territory stayed for a period exceeding 90 days. It is mandatory for that person and also mandatory for the person who provides accommodation for that person anywhere that person sleeps to ensure that the migrant is registered. We have a training curriculum for this to guild officers. There is sanction according to the law.”

    The International Organization for Migration (IOM), Chief of Mission, Mr. frantz Celestin said it has IOM have aligned with various financial and developmental partners in order to support the strengthening of NIS capacity to meet the needs of the safe and orderly migrants processing, to facilitate access to travel documents, improve ability to detect fraudulent documentation and boost its capacity to combat irregular migration.

    Celestin who was represented by Fernando Medina commended Immgration adding that the foreigner registration pilot sites are landmark achievements and the first of its kind in West Africa.

    Donors are Embassy of Switzerland, German and the Netherlands Ambassador, Harry Putker was disclosed that his government donated $1.33 million to support the project.

     

     

  • Polls: FG orders re-opening of borders

    Nigeria’s borders which were shut at 12 midnight on Friday ahead of the now postponed presidential and national assembly elections  have been re-opened.

    The Comptroller-General, Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), Mr Muhammad Babandede, confirmed the reopening yesterday.

    He said Immigration officers officers would continue “their normal border control and patrol duties to ensure that all persons crossing Nigeria’s land, air and sea borders travel with valid and genuine documents.”

  • 2019: NIS retrieves more than 700 voter cards from non-Nigerians —Comptroller-General

    The Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) said yesterday that it had retrieved more than 700 voter cards from non-Nigerians living in the country.

    Comptroller-General of NIS, Mr. Muhammad Babandede, said  at the 2018 NIS award presentation in Abuja that  the service is fully involved in the election process to ensure that no foreigner votes  during the 2019 general elections.

    His words: “We will be there during elections to ensure that non-Nigerians don’t participate.

    “We will make sure that they don’t vote and they are not voted for.

    “During the election, we will ensure the borders are secured so that nobody can enter the country during the days of election. “Immigration service has changed for the better.

    “We have built the capacity of personnel and improved on structures and contributed to Nigeria’s security and prosperity in many ways.”

    He added that such areas include  the Ease of Doing Business whereby the service has assisted businessmen to get visas as quickly as possible without hurdles.

    “We have trained so many officers. There has never been a time Nigeria Immigration Service has gotten better structures than now.

    “The approval of the technology building worth N7.1 billion by President Muhammadu  Buhari will serve all law enforcement agencies where we will share such information online with partners.”

    He thanked President Buhari for approving the unique project for the NIS.

    He said: “We became independent in 1963. Since that time, we have not gotten a centre to coordinate all our operations until this year when the President approved the technology building.

    “Julius Berger has already started work on the site. It was launched by the Minister of Interior last week.”

  • We can’t be cowed to relax, Customs vows

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Thursday sent a chilling message to opponents to underscore its fierce implementation of any-smuggling war that no amount of blackmail would force it abdicate its duty.

    There has been a social media onslaught on the activities of the service since the present Comptroller-General, Col. Hameed Ali rtd, changed the old order, intensified transparency and rule of law in the organization.

    Read Also:Suspected kidnappers of customs officer nabbed

    Those that benefited from the spoils in the old order are however, fighting with everything in their capacity to reverse the trend.

    But the Public Relations Officer, Mr. Joseph Attah, who spoke with The Nation in his office Thursday, countered the “insinuations,” of the critics, describing them as measures to mislead the public to force the NCS to chicken out of its enforcement of the anti-smuggling law.

    The spokesman, who listed the pace-setting achievements of Ali’s led Customs to include the generation of the highest ever N1.037 trillion last year and definitely surpassing that figure this year.

    Seizure of 2,671 pump action raffle last year, the last week seizure of 59 containers of tramadol and other controlled drugs across the commands.

    He submitted that “it becomes questionable if it is at this time that the people will choose to say otherwise. We are not surprised because we understand that the new style of doing things blocks the interest of certain people.

    “So, they may consider this particular time when the service is being celebrated for spectacular  performances to insinuate nepotism, non-trade facilitation, corruption and other vices,  just to cast the service in bad light and cause confusion to bring darkness where there is light. But darkness cannot exist where there is light.

    “This is the new Nigeria Customs Service under the CGC, Col. Hammed Ali rtd. The service that is discipline focused and determined to serve Nigerians better. I therefore urge the general public not to be distracted from supporting the service to serve the nation better.”

    The social media publications, according to him, are alleging that there are goods in the warehouse because the Comptroller-General has refused to allow the appointed auctioneers to auction them or allow Customs Area Comptrollers to auction them.

    The Public Relations Officer said that “it clearly shows lack of understanding of the process. For the avoidance of doubt, auctioning of seized goods is the statutory function of the service in line with section 167, (2) of the Customs and Excise Management Act CAP 45 LFM 2004.”

    Attah said that in view of the performance of the service under the current administration, it calls to question the intention of the critics, as Customs generates more revenue now than it has ever  generated in its over 100 years of existence.

    Attributing the rise in revenue generation to the commitment of the officers to put national interest above personal interest, he said “in Apapa we did not just seized 40 containers, we paraded the three suspects and the N150 million bribe money that was rejected”

    He also noted that contrary to such people say, no Customs officer now needs any connection to get promoted as it is all based on merit.

    He added that no officer is so allowed to remain in a particular beat of operation for over three years unlike the previous practice when officers could spend eight years in a particular beat.

    This is to avoid over familiarity that could lead to compromise.

    On auctioning of the customs goods, the spokesman said that since 3rd July, 2017, the Comptroller-General of Customs introduced the e-auction platform to eliminate the sharp practices that were associated with the manual process of the past. The e auction enhances maximum revenue generation and gives Nigerians equal opportunities.

    According to him, the e-auction guarantees the security of the revenue.

     

     

  • 99 percent importers evade duty, says Customs boss

    99 percent importers evade duty, says Customs boss

    The Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) Thursday said that 99 per cent of the nation’s importers are non-compliant with the customs duty and charges.

    According to him, the importers are unpatriotic to Nigeria even when they pay duty to other countries they deny theirs its dues.

    Ali, who was speaking as the Chief Host at the public presentation of the book “Appraisal of Crime of Smuggling in Nigeria,” in Abuja, pointed out that the belief of a typical Nigerian, is that he does not owe his country any obligation.

    Narrating his encounter with an importer, who settled all the charges for two cars  in Benin Republic and Niger Republic and evaded Nigeria’s, he said that  “somebody picked up two cars from Benin Republic, when he landed in Benin he paid every charges, he move them to Niger, and paid every charges he is supposed to pay.

    “But those cars are destined for Nigeria. When he now comes to Nigeria, he decided to take an un-costumed route and brought those cars to Nigeria. And when we did apprehend those vehicles the question I asked him is why are you so unpatriotic?

    “You could pay to Benin Republic, you could pay to Niger, and then coming to your own home, you don’t want to pay. He said the duty is too high.

    “And I said then why did you buy the two cars in the first place?  This is the mentality of the Nigerian; he does not believe that he owes anything to his own country.”

    The country, he said, cannot make progress in a situation, where people are not complying with the law and unfortunately, all that Nigerians think is how to circumvent the law.

    He commended the author of the book, Musa Omale for not allowing his knowledge, experience and writing skills to die.

    The customs boss noted that the book has made the job of the NCS easier and enjoined all the stakeholders to buy and read it.

    He assured the author that the Nigeria Customs Service will deploy copies of the books to its libraries and commands.

    Speaking with journalists, immediate past president of Association of Nigerian License Customs Agents, Chief Ernest Elochukwu noted that book is an exposure of the dimension of smuggling and the laws that are in place to tackle it.

    He said that the fight against smuggling can also be viewed from other angles like the creation of an enabling environment that does not promote smuggling.

    This, he said, government can achieve that by making sensible policies in terms of what it bans and does not ban.

    He submitted that “when there is so much of ban in the list of items that could be imported into the country, especially if they are essential items, the issue of smuggling becomes inevitable.”

    Meanwhile, the author said that what motivated him is that he has been in the Customs for past 26 years and as an experience officer about the level of damage of smuggling to the economy and decided to turn his research for PhD on smuggling into a book.

  • Prison officers seek Comptroller-General’s suspension

    Prison officers seek Comptroller-General’s suspension

    SOME officers of Nigeria Prison Service (NPS) have called for the suspension of Comptroller-General of Prisons Ahmed Jafaru for alleged abuse of office.

    They urged President Muhammadu Buhari to order an immediate probe of Jafaru’s administration.

    The officials, who described themselves as “Aggrieved Prison Officers”, accused Comptroller-General of Prisons of diversion of funds to fixed deposit accounts, alteration of age and staff recruitment that did not follow due process.

    The officers alleged that workers’ salaries became irregular after he allegedly moved funds into a fixed deposit account.

    Jafaru was also accused of directing that part of staff salaries be paid through Nigerian Prison Micro-Finance Bank, which they said has offices only in Kaduna, Enugu and Ibadan.

    The directive, according to them, meant prison workers had to travel long distances at huge risks to get their salaries.

    The officers also accused the Comptroller-General of recruiting 2,000 warders without following due process, adding that there were plans to recruit 6,000 more.

                    Trending: Lethal weapons found in Kanu’s residence – Police chief

    “If he is not immediately called to order, it is the same process that he used for the illegal recruitment in 2015 that he will use again for the proposed recruitment,” they said.

    According to them, efforts to get the Interior Minister to call Jafaru to order failed as “the minister gave us cold shoulders”.

    They asked the Comptroller-General to release the staff nominal roll detailing senior officers’ positions and offices.

    They claimed that in one nominal roll, Jafaru’s date of birth is stated as July 21, 1957, but in another nominal roll, it is July 21, 1959.

    The officers also alleged there is high mortality rate in the prisons due what they described as sharp practices on award of “ration and gas contracts” and project executions.

    But spokesman of the NPS, Francis Enobore, described issues raised in the petition as false and unfounded.

    Reacting to the issues one after the other on a telephone conversation with The Nation, Enobore said: “The accusation of the irregular payment levelled against the Comptroller-General cannot be true. Everybody knows that salaries are paid directly from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to individual staff accounts. The CGP does not control the salaries of any staff. He does not control the regularity of payment.

    On the poor feeding of inmates: “That cannot be true because the Federal Government made provision of N450 per prisoner per day. Yes, some people may argue that N450 per prisoner per day may not be adequate. But it would interest you that the position before now was N200 per prisoner per day. It is during the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari that the feeding amount was increase from N200 to N450 per prisoner per day.

    “We constituted a Ration Monitoring Committee because CG Prisons felt concerned about the way prisoners are fed, and the way they are provided for in the prison.”

  • Customs to prosecute smugglers of 18 vehicles  

    Customs to prosecute smugglers of 18 vehicles  

    The Nigeria Customs Service Tuesday paraded 18 exotic vehicles that it apprehended from Kefiano Motors Ltd in Abuja, vowing to prosecute the dealer if it is established that the items were out rightly smuggled.

    Addressing newsmen in Abuja, the Comptroller -General, Col. Hameed Ali retired said that “we have just started our investigations to see that the duty were paid as they claimed or they were not paid. If it is proven that there was no intention at all to pay duty, then it is purely a smuggled item and therefore, the Section 147 under Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA 2004) will apply. We will prosecute them.”

    According to him, “if you are found in possession of a smuggled vehicle, it is one year jail term’ no option. We will have to bring the law to bear. We will surely have to test the law now. If we are able to prove it, Kuje will be your home.”

    He said that the Customs officers that connived with the dealer will also face the wrath of the law.

    He told the reporters that on September 2017, based on credible information the detachment of the Compliance Team visited Kefiano Motors Ltd in the Central Business District of Abuja and discovered 18 suspected smuggled exotic vehicles that were displayed for sales.

    The Comptroller-General noted that beyond the issue of non-payment of Customs duty, 13 of the vehicles are bullet proof.

    He added that “These vehicles require clearance from the office of the National Security Adviser before importation. In a period of fragile security, we cannot afford to have unauthorized persons use armoured vehicles without End User Certificates; possession of the vehicles is illegal. ”

    The vehicles are two Range Rovers, one Rolls Royce, four Lexus’ three G wagons, two Prados, one Lincoln Navigator, One Infinity, on 4matic, two Toyota Camry saloon cars.

    Ali said that in the last two months, the service had stepped up its implementation of the Federal Government’s ban on importation of vehicles through land boarders.

    The implementation, according to the Customs boss, has yielded the following positive results in the last two months across the country: Zone A, Lagos -135 vehicles seized, Zone B, Kaduna 93 vehicles seized, Zone C PortHarcourt- 37 vehicles seized and Zone D, Bauchi Nil.

    Ali revealed that the NCS has realized that dealers now hide smuggled vehicles in their houses, noting that the law empowers the service to “go to their bedroom.”

  • Senate to confirm appointment of CG of Customs Service

    Senate to confirm appointment of CG of Customs Service

    The Senate has passed a bill that would make it mandatory for the President to seek confirmation of the appointment of the Comptroller General for the Customs Service.

    The bill also makes it mandatory for the President to appoint the Comptroller General from officers within the Customs Service. The present CG, Col. Hammed Ali was appointed from outside the service.

    Introduction of the new bill has caused a repeal of the existing Customs and Excise Management Act, Cap. C45, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

    It has scrapped the Customs Governing Board and replaced it with the Customs Service Commission.

    The upper legislative chamber argued that “The office of the Comptroller General of Customs is sufficiently sensitive to warrant scrutiny by the Senate and thus ensure that the best possible candidates occupy that position”.

    Senators also inserted a clause that makes it mandatory for the federal character law to reflect in the appointments of Deputy Comptrollers General, Assistant Comptrollers General.

    A provision in Clause 13 Subsection (2) makes it mandatory for the Customs Service Commission to determine the numbers and duties of Deputy Comptroller General and Assistant Comptroller General.

    The Commssion is to be headed by a chairman, who would be a retired career Comptroller General or Deputy Comptroller General, who would be appointed by the President an initial tenure of four years.

    The appointment of the chairman of the commission is also subject to confirmation by the Senate, and the tenure is renewable once.

    The bill, entitled, “A Bill for an Act to Repeal the Customs and Excise Management Act, to Establish the Nigeria Customs Service, Reform the Administration and Management of Customs and Excise in Nigeria, was passed following the adoption of the report of its Committee on Customs, Excise and Tariff.

    Section 13 of the Bill made it clear that only a serving officer in the Customs Service should be qualified to be appointed CG

    The section stated in parts, “The President shall appoint from the Customs Service, subject to the confirmation of the Senate, a Comptroller General who shall be responsible for the over all management of the Customs Service.

    According to the bill, the Commission would be responsible for managing policies of the Customs Service or matters pertaining to administration, assessment, collection and accounting for revenues, as may be directed by the Minister of Finance from time to time.

    It would also be responsible for managing all issues relating to employment, training, welfare, and discipline of officers of the Customs, with the approval of the appropriate authority of the Federal Government.

    The bill consolidated into a single reference document, the Customs Service legal authority, which is embodied in multiple enactments, with the view to bringing the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) 1958, in line with modern day reality and international best practices.

    Chairman of the Senate Customs committee, Senator Hope Uzodinma explained that the service would also be financed from a seven percent cost of collection of import duty, excise and fees, special levies, revenues derived from assessment and collection of cost based user fees, and from budgetary provisions.

    Uzodinma said, “The new bill will substantially enhance revenue generation and facilitate trade through full implementation of modern customs procedures that will evolve consistent, transparent and predictable environment for international trade in line with internally accepted norms and practices”.

    The senator added that the bill would also ensure pre-shipment and post shipment inspection at point of origin and destination, to reduce the incidence of illegal importation of weapons and other lethal items.

    “It strengthens the full implementation of pre-shipment laws of the country through the provisions for screening as a prerequisite for clearing goods into the country, not only adds to the expedited clearing system, but empirically improves the security of the nation by minimising the unfettered access into the country of illicit goods, prohibited narcotics, proliferation of small arms and toxic cargoes”, Senator Uzodinma added.

    The bill also made provisions for the use of modern Information Technology (IT) platforms and systems, including electronic documents, signatures and electronic payments, as well as application of Risk Management and other IT related issues.

    It also provides for the publication of a tariff handbook, subject to approval of the National Assembly, with the view to curtailing arbitrary tariff reviews.

     

  • Customs will soon embark on mass training, retraining – Comptroller-General

    Customs will soon embark on mass training, retraining – Comptroller-General

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) will soon embark on mass training and retraining of its personnel, Retired Col. Hameed Ali, the Comptroller-General of custom, said on Monday.

    Ali made this known during his visit to the headquarters of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) in Lagos.

    He said that the bulk of the customs’ budget for 2017 was earmarked for the training and retraining programme aimed at building the competences of the officers.

    Ali said that training and retraining of the officers became imperative in order to equip them to meet the challenges of modern customs’ operations.

    “This year, the bulk of customs’ budget will be spent on the training and retraining of officers.

    “We must all realise that in the Nigeria Customs Service and indeed customs all over the world, things are dynamic.

    “Things keep changing, new protocols come up; the laws are amended and new equipment also comes up.

    “So, without the training and retraining, there is no way we can meet the best practices expected from us,’’ he said.

    The customs chief said that the service had installed Information Communication Technology (ICT) tools in all its offices to ease the operations of personnel and improve efficiency generally.

    Ali said that he had received assurances from the Federal Government on the delivery of scanners and other equipment to further ease the operations of the service.

    The customs chief said he was committed to transforming the service, adding that plans were underway to reduce the bureaucracy and protocols involved in clearing goods at the ports.

    Ali said that his visit to NAGAFF was to interact with the freight forwarders and build a strong synergy between the association and the customs.

    He said that a good working relationship between the association and the customs was necessary to interface on some of the issues affecting maritime industry and arrive at “a win-win situation’’.

    Ali urged NAGAFF to help customs in the fight against corruption by exposing and reporting corrupt personnel for appropriate sanctions.

    “However, just as there are bad eggs in the customs, there are also bad eggs among the freight forwarders. Really, it takes two to tango.

    “For example, the 661 pump action guns that we seized had the connivance of some customs officers as well as some freight forwarders.

    “Six hundred and sixty-one guns in the hands of wrong people can cause instability in a state.

    “So, I want to appeal to freight forwarders to do their business with the security and interest of the nation on their minds, “ he said.

    The comptroller-general urged freight forwarders to avoid false declaration of consignments, saying that the practice posed danger to the country`s security and undermined customs revenue.

    He assured NAGAFF that customs would from time to time interact with it to ensure that their operational challenges were surmounted.

    Earlier, the acting President of NAGAFF, Mr Increase Uche, thanked the comptroller-general for his visit.

    He urged Ali to put in place appropriate mechanisms to improve professionalism among the freight forwarders and implement policies that would improve efficiency at the nation’s ports. (NAN)

  • FG may reverse forex restriction of 41 items, says Customs

    FG may reverse forex restriction of 41 items, says Customs

    The Zonal Coordinator, Zone `A’ of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Assistant Comptroller-General Monday Abueh, has said that the Federal Government may reverse the foreign exchange restriction placed on 41 items imported into the country.

    Abueh disclosed this in Ibadan during his familiarisation tour of Oyo/Osun Commands as part of his visits to Customs formations under his jurisdiction.

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), had on July, 2015, restricted 41 items, including vegetable oil, poultry products, cosmetics, plastic and rubber products, among others, from access to foreign exchange.

    The apex bank said the country had the capacity to produce those items locally.

    Abueh said that when government’s policies were rolled out, they were in the interest of the people, adding that Nigeria could not be enriching other countries by allowing some banned items into the country.

    He advised officers to be fully sensitised about implementing government’s policies anywhere they were posted to serve.

    Abueh urged officers to ensure non-passage of rice and vehicles into the country.

    He said that smugglers might be trying to make Oyo and other land borders their alternative routes since security at Idiroko and Seme was tight for them.

    The zonal coordinator said that the Comptroller-General, Retired Col. Hameed Ali and the Customs Management had redeployed officers to land borders’ commands to ensure that nothing escaped through all the routes in the areas.

    He also urged officers to learn excise operations to assist in cargo clearance.

    Abueh said his visit was meant to continue reminding officers about the Federal Government’s polices as well as the directive given by the comptroller-general to ensure security and protection of lives in the country.

    “Officers should be mindful of their duties and responsibilities as you embark on your primary assignment.

    “If you are careless in your duties and if you are caught, you will be held responsible for your action, ‘’ Abueh said.

    The assistant comptroller-general urged officers to ensure collection of duties on general goods coming through the borders.

    According to him, the language in the service nowadays is for officers to be knowledgeable about the operations of the service.

    Abueh urged officers to be willing to learn further, adding that without doing this, such officers would be having problems with operations.

    He, however, commended officers and men in Oyo/Osun command for being on top of their operations as they recorded tremendous seizures.

    “The numerous seizures had indicated that smuggling in this axis are high. That is why I am here to convey the comptroller-general’s message to officers to continue doing the good job.

    “Officers should ensure 100 per cent examination before approving document for delivery of consignment, because any mistake after clearance will not be acceptable by the service,” NAN quotes Abueh as saying.

    After inspecting the command’s warehouse, the zonal coordinator discovered that the warehouse was full to the brim with seizures of rice, vegetable oil, used tyres, second-hand vehicles and other items.

    Abueh said the Management of the NCS would request for officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to ascertain the state of the edible items before destroying them to avoid environmental hazards.

    He warned smugglers to desist from unlawful operations and follow due process in clearing goods in order to avoid seizures.

    The Customs Area Controller of Oyo/Ogun, Comptroller Tope Ogunkua, disclosed that the seizures were intercepted over the years.

    Ogunkua said that the command’s warehouse was having dangerous odour due to some items like rice, which had expired in the store.

    He said that the command generated N14.8 billion between January and December 2016.

    Ogunkua said that the command’s target for 2016 was N19.3 billion but it had a shortfall of N4. 5billion.

    He said that command would not relent in its effort to suppress smuggling to the barest minimum.